LAHORE - Unlike the previous years, the city presented a clean look during Eidul Azha days as the Lahore Waste Management Company made adequate arrangements to lift and dump animal waste at designated landfill sites.
Though some parts of Lahore were not properly covered, the LWMC managed to lift tonnes of animal waste and disposed it off at landfill sites, much to the satisfaction of public at large in general and the government in particular. Showering praise on LWMC for comparatively better arrangements, the Punjab Chief Minister announced bonus of one week salary for the entire sanitation staff. The City District Government arrested 126 persons after registering 123 FIRs for roasting Siri Payes on roadsides. CDGL had designated six places in different parts of Lahore for roasting Siri Payes.
The use of latest machinery along with a fleet vehicles, establishment of awareness camps, distribution of thousands of waste bags among Lahorites and working of hundreds of sanitation staff in shifts helped LWMC disposing off offals and animal waste during three days of Eidul Azha.
The LWMC established 161 camps in 150 union councils for guidance and assistance of general public, ensuring Lahorites receive dedicated waste bags for disposing sacrificial waste. Over 0.40 million bags were distributed while people were also briefed regarding their usage.
11,000 workers started Eid operation on midnight of 15th October, emptied containers. More than 1175 operational vehicles remained busy picking waste from designated transfer stations and transported on dump sites. Almost 27000 tons of animal waste was transported to dumpsite during Eid days while LWMC help line 1139 resolved 2500 complaints of citizens. Workers made sure no area is neglected where sacrifice has been performed while distribution of free waste bags continued till last day of Eid. LWMC offices remained open and all staff was on duty to ensure a clean Lahore 24/7. Company Chairman Khawaja Hassan, MD Waseem Ajmal Ch, GM Operations Khalid Majeed, Manager Operations Asif Iqbal and Sohail Malik, Secretary Muzaffar Islam and Manager Communication remained in field to personally supervise and monitor the operations. Commissioner and DCO Lahore also visited to monitor arrangements.
Adding value to operations and awareness regarding cleanliness, film star Reema and singer Farhan Saeed also joined hands with LWMC to boost the morale of workers who spent their Eid in field. Reema joined LWMC in Islampura and distributed waste bags among citizens while requesting them to cooperate with LWMC and keep city clean on this sacred occasion. She also swept in the area just to send a positive message to community and encourage LWMC workers.
Farhan Saeed visited LWMC camps in the Walled City and sang songs for LWMC workers. He was surprised to see Lahore waste free on Eid and specially came to spend some time among sweepers and other staff so that they don’t feel aloof and left alone at a time when others were busy in festivities. He even rode on mini dumper of LWMC along with workers to express solidarity with the staff.
The city was kept clean by establishing 69 temporary waste transfer points from where huge dumpers and compactors carried waste to dumping sites while small pickups and vans moved into narrow streets of the Walled City. For the first time, state of the art arrangements were made on dumpsites where geo membrane layers were laid in order to dump the waste with minimum harmful impacts on environment. The IT department of LWMC remained up and active recording all machinery’s movement and compiled a database of waste dumped on Mehmood Booti through VTMS, VTCS and android based monitoring of workers.
The company chairman has thanked LWMC workers and staff and Lahorites for making the Eid operations a success. “For us the task is yet to be achieved since Lahore must be clean in all days and all circumstances so we will be on toes yet again in the morning to serve our city”, said Kh Hassan.