LWMC to attain zero-waste target by tomorrow: Minister.

LAHORE -- Provincial Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal said on Thursday that zero waste target would be achieved by the evening of January 15 ( tomorrow) as the Lahore Waste Management Company had removed 85 per cent garbage from the city.

While addressing a press conference here at DGPR office, the minister disclosed that Rs1.050 billion were annually spent on cleaning Lahore city in 2009; but when the PML-N government awarded cleanliness contract to two foreign companies, the amount rose to Rs 7 billion in 2010 and the expenditure further escalated to Rs 14 billion in 2018. Meanwhile, special grants given on special occasions were in addition to this budget, he added.

Giving the details, the minister disclosed that a 320 million dollar contract was signed with these companies with a time-period of seven years and 70 per cent amount was paid in dollars. Work charge employees were hired for foreign companies through Suleman and Company and Skill Hub and millions of rupees were given to these companies during the last eight years. There was an ambiguity in the agreements and the forensic audit report had also been received, he added.

He said the LWMC was the legitimate owner of all the machinery after the expiry of the agreement under RFP. When this condition was given the shape of an agreement, the representatives of the former government changed the agreement in connivance with the foreign companies, he said. Thus, the PML-N government picked the pockets of the poor nation in the name of cleanliness. When the LWMC took control of machinery after the expiry of the agreement, the minister further told that 35 per cent machinery was operational while 65 per cent equipment was non-operational. This way, the past government ruined the cleanliness system of Lahore city, he regretted. But the incumbent government would improve the cleanliness system, he assured.

The minister further regretted that national resources were also looted in the name of mechanical sweepers. Giving the details, he disclosed that money was...