Director General of the Suthra Punjab Project, Babar Sahab-ud-Din, says Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision for modern waste management and clean energy is continuing to draw international recognition. After Forbes, Bloomberg has now praised Punjab’s waste-to-value programme in its latest report.

According to Bloomberg, a preliminary feasibility study is underway for a state-of-the-art 50-megawatt power plant in central Punjab aimed at generating clean energy. The facility will operate on waste collected daily under the Suthra Punjab programme. The estimated cost of the project is between USD 175 million and 180 million, and the plant is expected to convert nearly 3,000 tonnes of waste into energy every day.

The report adds that the Suthra Punjab programme is providing employment to more than 150,000 people across the province while collecting around 50,000 tonnes of waste daily. Officials say the initiative is contributing nearly Rs300 billion annually to Punjab’s economy through environmentally friendly activities. Work is also underway to produce bio-fertilizer, bio-gas, and to convert landfill sites into solar parks.

According to Babar Sahab-ud-Din, Suthra Punjab is one of South Asia’s largest waste-management initiatives, designed to replace the old, fragmented municipal system with a modern, integrated model. The programme has introduced door-to-door waste collection, mechanical sweeping, waste-transfer stations, and advanced compaction systems—significantly improving cleanliness levels in major cities including Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Multan.

Officials note that the project aims to transform waste from a burden into an economic resource by promoting clean energy, recycling, composting, and landfill rehabilitation. The scope of the programme is expected to expand further in the coming months.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)