Lahore: Minister for Local Government (LG) Zeeshan Rafique chaired a meeting at the Programme Management Unit (PMU) Garden Town to review the Punjab Development Programme (PDP).
Secretary Local Government Zaid Bin Maqsood was also present, while Project Director Shahid Zaman Lak gave a briefing on the ongoing development schemes in 51 cities.
Zeeshan Rafique said that work is underway on several development schemes under the supervision of the Local Government Department under the ‘Maryam Nawaz’s Sohna Punjab’ programme. He said that such large-scale steps had never been taken before to provide municipal facilities in cities, but now schemes have been prepared through master planning under the PDP.
‘Locations have been selected for underground water tanks in every city. Alhamdulillah, 96 out of 110 underground tanks have been completed so far’, he figured out.
Zeeshan Rafique said that an integrated network of water tanks, drains and disposal stations is being built in the cities. “Earlier, except for a few cities, there was no sustainable sewage system anywhere, but now Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the mega project in the form of PDP”, he observed.
He said that 106 out of 124 drains have been completed for 51 cities. “Work has also started on the construction of 25 disposal stations in the next phase. The construction of disposal stations will be completed on priority basis”, added he.
The Minister said that new suction machines and de-silting units have also been provided to these cities, which will help in dealing with drainage problems.