Waste to be used for energy generation under Suthra Punjab programme: Minister

LAHORE, Mar 09 (APP):Punjab Minister for Local Government and Community Development (LG&CD) Zeeshan Rafique has said that the Waste-to-Value component is an important phase of the Suthra Punjab Programme, under which thousands of tons of collected waste would be utilized for energy generation.

He said this while chairing a meeting at the Civil Secretariat to review progress on the Waste-to-Value phase of the programme, initiated on the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, here on Monday. Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian and Director General Suthra Punjab Authority Babar Sahib Din also attended the meeting.

The minister expressed satisfaction that a pilot bio-CNG plant at the Lakhodeer landfill site has started production. He said that initially around 85 kilograms of CNG is being produced daily from waste, adding that the target is to increase methane gas concentration from 70 percent to 85 percent.

Zeeshan Rafique said that during the pilot phase, high-quality gas has been successfully produced from one ton of waste, describing the project as a self-sustaining circular economy initiative. He noted that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed further upgradation of the project, adding that work on additional waste-to-energy initiatives is also underway under her patronage.

The minister said several local and international companies have expressed interest in the Waste-to-Value programme, adding that significant progress is expected in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget. He emphasized that developing the capacity to segregate waste at source would bring greater benefits, as separating organic and inorganic materials would help achieve the programme’s objectives more effectively.

Zeeshan Rafique said the government would continue learning from operational experiences to further improve the system. He expressed hope that the establishment of the Punjab Waste Authority would lead to better results in solid waste management across the province.