A 20-member delegation of foreign investors’ group Christian Economic Forum (CEF) led by Managing Director Grant Webster visited the Civil Secretariat where they were given a detailed briefing about the Suthra Punjab program. Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique told about Phase One and Two of Suthra Punjab. Former MNA Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Special Secretary Asia Gul and DG Suthra Punjab Authority Babar Sahib Din were also present on the occasion.
Grant Webster said that CEF is a group of major investors from 8 countries including the US, Malaysia, Canada, South Korea, China and the UK, which is currently working on various commercial projects in 48 countries. "There is a lot of investment potential in Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s Suthra Punjab program and we have come to Lahore to review these possibilities”, observed Mr. Webster. CEF members expressed interest in investing in the waste recycling sector in Punjab saying that they were very impressed with the effectiveness of the Suthra Punjab program.Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafique said that Suthra Punjab has become the world’s largest solid waste management system under one administrative umbrella. "We will welcome CEF’s investment in Punjab”, he assured. Referring to the poor state of sanitation before launching of Suthra Punjab, he said that under the supervision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, an unprecedented sanitation system was established within a few months, starting from zero. Zeeshan Rafique said that an effective digital monitoring system is the key to success of Suthra Punjab. "It was only due to the instructions and strong patronage of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz that the desired results were achieved. This journey is still in its initial stages and improving day by day due to hard work and political will”, he figured out. He said that so far 12.2 million tons of waste have been disposed of from across Punjab in one year. "A workforce, he went on, "of 150,000 is engaged in keeping villages and cities clean. Today, there is a strong infrastructure of 145 landfill sites and 457 temporary collection points”. He said that increasing awareness among citizens is also an important factor in the success of a cleaner Punjab. At the request of the delegation, the provincial minister, while giving details of the mechanism for redressing citizens’ complaints, said that the redressal rate of complaints received on the app and helpline is 98 percent. "We not only take action on complaints but also learn lessons from public feedback”, briefed minister. Zeeshan Rafique said that in other countries, door-to-door waste collection is usually once a week, while in Punjab, there is door-to-door waste collection every day. "We are proud to have converted a mountain of garbage into a green area in Mehmood Buti, a suburb of Lahore”, he remarked.
He further said that a biogas fuel plant is successfully operating at the Lakhoder (Lahore) landfill site. The Minister for Local Government said that the project to generate 50 MW of electricity from waste is progressing rapidly. This power plant will be able to consume 2500 tons of waste per day.On this occasion, former Member of National Assembly Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha said that the visit of the CEF delegation to Punjab and the interest in investing here is welcome. He said that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif does not only start projects but also makes them successful. The CEF delegation applauded and paid tribute to the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Nawaz. Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian said that all possible facilities will be provided to foreign investors. He said that the recycling park is a unique initiative of its kind in the region. Director General Suthra Punjab Authority Babar Sahib Din said that a landfill site on forty-nine acres is being converted into an urban forest. He said that along with the production of biogas from waste, the work of preparing organic feedstock is also underway. After the meeting, the members of the delegation were also presented with books and souvenirs based on information about Suthra Punjab.
