LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Social Welfare Raja Basharat on Friday said that the Punjab Government has decided to resolve the chronic sewerage issue of Lahore for which a comprehensive tunnel sewer project worth billions of rupees had been sent to the Central Working Committee for approval.
He was presiding over a meeting held on the directions of Chief Minister Punjab here at Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Headquarters.
The minister was briefed by the Managing Director (MD) Zahid Aziz in detail on major functions, monsoon operations and development plans of WASA. It was informed that an underground sewer line from Larix Colony to Gulshan Ravi was prepared that would cover the Cantonment and Gulberg area too.
The minister expressed great concern over the fact that the former government did not focused on such public interest projects of sewerage rather preferred less important projects for the purpose to slice heavy kickbacks. He said, “The Chief Minister Punjab wishes to resolve the long-awaited sewer problem of Lahore on a sustainable basis and has committed to extend all kind of favours.
Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to initiate only those development works extremely desired by the citizens so that their genuine problems might be addressed.” Raja Basharat directed the WASA to pay special attention to the heavily inundated and thick populated areas particularly those poor and deprived areas where already no sewer system existed.
He also expressed great concern on the rapid decline in underground water level and directed to introduce water protection based projects such as recycling and rain harvesting systems in order to overcome the water scarcity in the area.
In lieu of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha festival, the Minister directed WASA authorities to assist line departments for proper disposal of sacrificial animals’ remains from the city. The Secretary Housing Punjab Nasim Sadiq, Commissioner Lahore Division Asif Bilal Lodhi and Deputy Commissioner also attended the meeting.
