MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has launched the Suthra Kashmir Programme to improve cleanliness, waste management and urban beautification across the region on the directives of Prime Minister AJK.
Under the initiative, solid waste management services will be outsourced at the district level, with advertisements inviting private companies expected to be issued within a week.
The decisions were taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Secretary Local Government and Rural Development Irshad Ahmed Qureshi, attended by senior officials, mayors, district council chairpersons, chief officers and other representatives of local governments.
Qureshi said government institutions would serve as regulators while private companies would be engaged through formal contracts to provide waste management services, including machinery, vehicles and manpower where required.
A uniform for sanitation workers and machinery staff will also be introduced across AJK to ensure consistency in the cleanliness operations.
Clean Kashmir Plan to Cover Rural Areas
The secretary said the government’s 100-day plan includes steps for creating green spaces, purchasing new waste-management vehicles, developing model villages and beautifying cities.
A comprehensive plan is also being prepared for waste collection across AJK, including a system for collecting household waste at the village level with the participation of elected local government representatives, youth and women councillors.
Mayors and district council representatives welcomed the initiative, saying the inclusion of rural areas was essential as waste management has become a growing challenge beyond major cities.
Officials also briefed the meeting on existing waste-management systems, their environmental impact, the Clean Punjab model and waste-management practices involving private companies in South Asia. The meeting concluded with group discussions on strengthening the institutional capacity of local councils.
