LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has set a seven-day deadline for ensuring adequate staffing and machinery under the Suthra Punjab programme and directed officials to remove underperforming private contractors and activate selfoperated services within a week.

Chairing a meeting on the province`s sanitation arrangements here on Tuesday, the chief minister sought a comprehensive micro-plan for cleanliness across Punjab and a progress report on the programme by next week.

The meeting reviewed the performance of sanitation companies, waste collection and transportation systems, workforce availability and field monitoring arrangements.

She directed the authorities to implement the Suthra Punjab beat system across the province within seven days.

She ordered warnings for sanitation companies delivering less than 80pc performance in any tehsil, while those scoring below 50 percent should be removed.

She also ordered the termination of non-performing private companies and the activation of self-operated sanitation services within a week.

Emphasising the rights of sanitation workers, she directed officials to ensure payment of their outstanding dues and agreed that the arrears should be recovered from the defaulting company. She said workers should not be made to suffer for contr actor s` unpaid liabilities and called for a legal mechanism to ensure timely payment of their salaries.

She also directed authorities to ensure cleanliness in rural areas at least on alternate days and remove accumulated garbage from villages. Staff Reporter