CM Maryam Nawaz Sets One-Week Deadline for Suthra Punjab

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has set a seven-day deadline to ensure adequate staffing and machinery under the Suthra Punjab programme. She directed officials to remove underperforming private contractors and activate self-operated sanitation services within a week. Chairing a special meeting on the province’s sanitation arrangements, she asked for a comprehensive micro-plan for cleanliness across Punjab and a progress report by next week.

Performance Rules for Sanitation Companies

• The Suthra Punjab beat system must be implemented across the province within seven days.

• Companies delivering less than 80 per cent performance in any tehsil will receive warnings.

• Companies scoring below 50 per cent will be removed.

• Non-performing private companies will be terminated and self-operated services activated within a week.

Workers’ Rights

The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure sanitation workers receive their outstanding dues, with the arrears recovered from the defaulting company. She said workers should not suffer for contractors’ unpaid liabilities and called for a legal mechanism to ensure timely payment of salaries.

Rural Areas and Monitoring

She directed that cleanliness be ensured in rural areas at least on alternate days and that accumulated garbage be removed from villages. Weekly, detailed reports on human resources, beat-level machinery and field monitoring officers are to be submitted for every tehsil. The meeting was told that assistant commissioners and the relevant Suthra Punjab in-charges in each tehsil will be held responsible for failures.

Anti-Littering Squads and Recognition

The meeting was informed that anti-littering squads operating in every division have made 264,000 visits, issuing warnings and raising awareness about sanitation standard operating procedures. The Chief Minister commended Chakwal Deputy Commissioner Sarah Hayat and her team for the district’s performance. A proposal for a dedicated mobile application for Suthra Punjab workers was also considered.