JARANWALA:
In a move to improve clean drinking water and sewerage services across Punjab, the Housing Department has approved the establishment of 10 new Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASAs) in various cities.
These include Hafizabad, Jhang, Sialkot, Jhelum, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Okara, Bahawalpur, Sargodha and Dera Ghazi Khan.
The relevant authorities have been instructed to appoint managing directors for the newly proposed agencies.
The announcement came during an emergency visit by Punjab Secretary for Housing, Urban Development & Public Health Engineering Noorul Amin Mengal to the WASA headquarters in Faisalabad.
He chaired a high-level meeting attended by FDA Director General Muhammad Asif Chaudhry, WASA Managing Director Aamir Aziz, DG PHA Dilawar Khan, and other officials, where an extensive review of ongoing development schemes, sewerage improvements, and clean water supply projects was conducted.
Mengal emphasised the Punjab chief minister’s personal commitment to ensuring the availability of clean drinking water and modern sewerage infrastructure for the public.
He said projects worth Rs150 billion are currently being executed under WASA’s supervision and assured that their progress and quality will be closely monitored by the department.
To ensure transparency and high standards, Quality Assurance Committees are being formed and special monitoring cells will oversee the technical aspects of all ongoing projects.
Mengal issued directives to prioritise public convenience during development work by avoiding unnecessary excavations and ensuring prompt restoration of affected areas to minimise disruption to daily life.
The housing secretary made it clear that negligence, malpractice, or delays in project execution will not be tolerated and that strict departmental action will be taken against those found responsible.
