Lahore: Chinese Business Council has expressed interest in setting up a waste-to-energy plant in Punjab. In this regard, the President of the Chinese Business Council Mr. Chen Qian Jiang met the Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq in his office here on Thursday. Agha Ali Haider MPA and other officials of Chinese Business Council were also present. During the meeting, the project of generating energy from waste in Punjab was discussed. The Chinese delegation expressed interest in setting up a plant to generate energy from waste in Lahore. Welcoming the offer, the minister said that the work on next phase of Suthra Punjab programme had been started. “A project to produce diesel and gas from waste is under consideration in Punjab”, he added. He said that four to five thousand tons of waste was generated daily in Lahore alone.
“Punjab government is ready to provide land for energy plant to Chinese company. We will welcome setting up waste energy plant in other cities too”, he resolved. He furt
her said that recycling of waste would also help in resolving environmental problems. The Local Government Minister said that through the income from waste recycling, expenditure on Suthra Punjab programme could be recovered. “I request Mr. Chen Qian Jiang to make a financial model to evaluate further progress”, he said. President of Chinese Business Council Chen Qian Jiang, while presenting the initial feasibility to the minister, said that their main goal was not commercial, but clean environment would be the main focus. “Setting up a plant near dumping site will reduce the cost”, he said. President Chinese Business Council Chen Qian Jiang sought time for another meeting with the minister tomorrow. The Minister directed LWMC CEO Babar Sahib Din to prepare a presentation for further progress.