LAHORE: From September 1, residents and shopkeepers in Punjab’s upscale areas will start receiving monthly cleanliness bills. These neighborhoods will also be declared ‘zero-waste’ zones, with strict penalties for littering.
Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) Chief Executive Officer Babir Sahib Din confirmed the move. He said bills would go to residential and commercial property owners in Gulberg, Johar Town, Muslim Town, New Muslim Town, Shadman, Faisal Town, Garden Town, Upper Mall, and areas along Canal Road, Mall Road, and Jail Road.
Private housing societies remain exempt since they manage their own disposal systems. “The plan was in the pipeline for long. The government finally decided to impose a cleanliness fee to ensure high sanitation standards. Implementation begins with posh localities in the first phase,” Mr. Din explained.
The Punjab cabinet had approved the proposal months ago under the Suthra Punjab Programme. Province-wide implementation may take up to two months.
An LWMC spokesperson warned of action against defaulters. Those who fail to pay within two months will lose waste disposal services. They may also face heavy fines and even FIRs for illegal dumping.
The new fee structure divides charges by property type. A five-marla house will pay Rs300 per month. Ten-marla houses will pay Rs500, while one-kanal and larger homes will be charged Rs1,000.
For businesses, fees range between Rs500 and Rs3,000 depending on nature and scale. In rural areas, houses will pay Rs200 per month.
Mr. Din added that residents of posh areas in Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, and Sargodha would also receive August bills soon. These localities will also be declared zero-waste zones.
Enforcement teams will begin monitoring these areas in a short time span. Inspectors will fine anyone caught littering. “The purpose is not only sustainability of waste management but also creating public ownership,” Mr. Din stressed.
