The Punjab government has decided to impose fines on individuals and commercial entities involved in littering as part of its province-wide drive to improve cleanliness and urban management. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, where officials reviewed the ongoing progress of the Suthra Punjab initiative and assessed its impact across cities and rural areas.
Officials briefed the chief minister that public response to the cleanliness campaign has been overwhelmingly positive, with significant improvements observed in waste collection and monitoring. They highlighted that modern oversight mechanisms, including vehicle-tracking systems and live monitoring of waste containers, have already been implemented to ensure transparency, efficiency, and accountability in sanitation operations.
Maryam Nawaz praised the scale and ambition of the cleanliness drive, noting that the province had effectively built a modern waste-management system from the ground up. She observed that a structured and comprehensive waste-management framework for both urban and rural areas should have been established long ago, adding that the current administration is committed to correcting past neglect through sustained reforms.
The meeting approved strict enforcement measures under which fines will be imposed on people found littering on roads, streets, and in commercial zones. Businesses operating in markets and other high-traffic areas will also face penalties if they fail to comply with cleanliness regulations, signaling a tougher stance against practices that contribute to environmental degradation.
In addition, the Punjab government announced plans to transition sanitation fleets to environmentally friendly electric vehicles as part of its broader sustainability agenda. Officials also confirmed that waste-to-energy initiatives are being introduced to convert garbage into electricity, reducing landfill pressure while contributing to alternative energy generation.
The chief minister directed relevant departments to prepare and submit a detailed waste-to-value implementation plan by mid-January, emphasizing that effective waste management is essential for public health, environmental protection, and improving the overall quality of life for citizens across Punjab.
