‘LWMC to be converted into an authority’

LAHORE:Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) will soon be converted into an authority. This was revealed by LWMC Chairman Atif Chaudhry while talking to The News here on Sunday. He said since he has taken charge of his office, unprecedented steps were taken to improve the working of the company.

“I am converting this huge company into an authority, giving them their own office which will be 70pc cost-effective,” he said, adding presently LWMC was paying a huge sum of around Rs400 million as building rent whereas a new building can be purchased in Rs100 million.

Talking about fuel theft, he said, “We were using 150 petrol pumps in Lahore and as per new arrangements in house fueling will be introduced, which will save approx 3 lac litre of fuel per month besides eliminating fuel theft.”

To a question about political interference in transfer and posting in the company, the chairman admitted that LWMC was politicised in the matters of transfers and postings. “I have banned any transfer and posting in the company,” he said, adding now we were focusing on performance.

“I am launching LWMC’s mobile app to improve the efficiency and give more convenience to the general public to approach us,” he said while responding to a question about resolving public complaints.

To a question about the ongoing disputes with the previous Turkish contractors of the company, he said he was sorting out the disputes amicably and out of court with 60pc less amount. He said he was in touch with two international companies for Waste-to-Energy project, which will bring an investment of around 200 million dollars in the country. Atif Ch concluded that performance will be the only key to survival in the company and all nonperformers will have to face the consequences. He said the company was assuring 100 per cent attendance of workers to improve its performance.

Meanwhile, a press statement issued by the spokesperson of LWMC claimed that the cleaning teams of LWMC were fully in action and phase-wise zero waste operation was going on under the supervision of LWMC CEO Rafia Haider.

Since the beginning of the campaign, six towns including Data Ganj Bakhsh Town, Gulberg Town, Aziz Bhatti Town, Samnabad Town, Allama Iqbal Town and Ravi Town have been made zero waste and 57 thousand 309 tons of waste have been disposed of in an environment-friendly manner, the statement claimed.

CEO Rafia Haider claimed that zero waste operation has been completed in Allama Iqbal Town and Ravi Town. Further, special cleaning arrangements were also ensured around mosques, educational institutions, and hospitals. The CEO issued instructions to ensure the attendance of all workers in the field.