Sindh Transport Minister SharjeeL Inam Memon shares photos of double-decker buses that landed at Karachi Port. PHOTO:
LAHORE:
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) to regulate liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices across the province.
Chairing a meeting, the chief minister also sought a report within 24 hours to determine per kilometer transport rates and directed the officials concerned to consider launching free transport in 17 districts where public transport is not available.
During the meeting, the impact of global oil prices on transportation rates was discussed and a detailed report was presented.
Prices of 23 essential food items, including onions, tomatoes, potatoes, bananas and pulses, across all districts were also examined.
Officials said flour prices in Punjab were lower than those in Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
They said pulses, fruits and vegetables were also cheaper in Punjab, with sufficient stock of lentils and grams available.
The chief minister urged citizens to avoid purchasing items sold above officially announced prices and ordered strict measures against hoarding of essential commodities.
She directed the deputy commissioners to conduct surveys of ponds and other water bodies in each area and directed the commissioners to submit daily reports on them with photographs.
Orders have also been issued to ensure safety measures for ponds in each union council.
The CM emphasized on tree plantation, dog bite prevention, zebra crossings, street lighting, green belts and other key performance indicators (KPIs).
She also ordered the resumption of cleanliness drive in graveyards under the Suthra Punjab programme.
Expressing displeasure over the cleanliness situation in Jhang, she ordered complete cleaning of some union councils within 24 hours.
A detailed review of beautification and modernization projects in all districts was carried out, including photographic inspections. The CM directed that all these projects should be completed by June and stressed on maintaining their quality thereafter. Projects from various cities, including Attock, Rahim Yar Khan and Faisalabad, were examined. The CM appreciated the quality of the work carried out at Attock. She also appreciated the improvements made in the Clock Tower area of ​​Faisalabad, including the removal of roadside drainage and electric wires.
The chief minister expressed concern over deaths caused by open drainage systems and said the presence of unsafe ponds would be considered an administrative failure.
She expressed her displeasure over complaints about piles of garbage in different cities, calling them unacceptable.
The meeting also discussed the objectives of the Suthra Punjab program in detail.
It was decided to introduce artificial intelligence-based monitoring systems, including digital mapping for real-time monitoring of sanitation workers in each union council. A new AI-based complaint system named Suthra Punjab Hero will be launched, along with a pilot project for AI-based waste detection vehicles.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered sanitation to be improved across the province and warned that piles of garbage in cities were unacceptable.
She also gave relevant authorities a two-week deadline to improve cleanliness in the province.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz reaffirmed her commitment to providing the best possible healthcare and treatment facilities to the people of the province on the occasion of World Health Day.
