Amid scathing criticism from all quarters, including, most recently, Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has launched a Zero Waste Campaign.

Earlier, the LWMC’s failure to achieve their targets had resulted in the ignominious removal of their (now-former) chief, Imran Ali Sultan.

As the story goes, in June this year, the CM took serious notice of the poor sanitary conditions in Lahore. Next, he had removed the company’s CEO, calling him “incompetent.” CM’s displeasure and the subsequent removal of Imran Ali Sultan eventually pushed the LWMC into action.

The zero-waste campaign has begun in Shahdara, considered one of the most congested and unhygienic parts of Lahore. Capt Muhammad Usman (retired), the Lahore commissioner, has issued instructions to the city administration to stay abreast of the citizens’ complaints with regard to cleanliness. He has also appealed to the citizens to join hands with the administration in making Lahore clean.

Over a week ago, the new chief of LWMC, Rafia Haider, took a surprise tour of the city, reviewing cleanliness arrangements at the Baradari Road, GT Road, Sheikhupura Road, NurJehan’s Mausoleum, and Jahangir’s Mausoleum. Talking to TNS about the salient features of the company’s latest campaign, she said, “Despite lots of constraints, [the LWMC] is making all-out efforts to make Lahore a more livable city, one that is free of waste.”

She claimed that the company’s staff was working round the clock to achieve the target. “Our staff is working in three shifts. Even on Sundays, our skeleton staff remains engaged.”

Haider said that since the Christian staff needed to be off on Sundays, the LWMC management was trying to finish most of the sanitation work by Saturdays.

The removal of waste isn’t the responsibility of the LWMC alone, since many areas of the provincial metropolis fall under the jurisdiction of other government departments such as the LDA, the MCL, the PHA and the Cantonment Board.

Lahore produces at least “55,000 tons of waste” on a daily basis. The disposal of such a huge amount of waste is no easy task, said Rafia Haider. “We are faced with multiple problems, from shortage of staff to lack of proper machinery.”

She maintained that the Zero-Waste operation had been launched in different phases in Lahore, and it would continue uninterrupted till the last part of the city was cleared of trash and garbage.

Haider was of the view that the company could not achieve its target without the help of the masses. She said a public awareness campaign must also be initiated and the general public educated in matters related to waste disposal etc.

She claimed that the company was “taking serious notice of illegal dumping of waste in various parts of the city.”

The citizens can reach out for support on the LWMC’s helpline — 1139. They can also download the Clean Lahore mobile application and file their complaints there. “It’s high time the citizens extended their cooperation to us,” Haider added.

In response to a question, she said that the LWMC had parted ways with the foreign companies, which delayed operations. Around 2,000 ghost workers have also been removed from the company.

The LWMC CEO said that the management now ensured that the company’s workers wear their uniform while carrying out their duties. She said daily attendance is checked vigilantly.

Haider said that ever since she assumed charge, the LWMC “has been working on half capacity. We’re making efforts to enhance the fleet of trucks, compactors, loader tractors and other vehicles, including rickshaws.

“We’ve saved a lot of money by preparing 50-odd containers, and repairing a number of vehicles at our workshops. The company is expected to achieve its target of making a fleet of 900 vehicles operational soon.”

In the past, huge costs were incurred on such maintenance work, she said.

She also said that the removal of waste wasn’t the responsibility of the LWMC alone, since many areas of the provincial metropolis fell under the jurisdiction of other agencies like the LDA, the MCL, the PHA, and the Cantonment Board.

The disposal of construction material, bushes and trees isn’t the responsibility of the LWMC, but the company has had to shoulder the burden time and again, said Haider.

“We’ve brought the management of other government departments on board. They have responded well. So, we expect things to be under control very soon.”

The writer is a senior journalist and can be reached at ahsanzia155@gmail.com