Punjab Imposes Strict Penalty for Schools Without Colorful Dustbins

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has directed the launch of a Smart Waste Management Process across all government and private educational institutions in the province.

A notification issued by the Punjab government stated that educational institutions must place five-coloured dust bins to ensure proper segregation of waste. The process is to be completed by September 30, 2025, with inspections beginning October 1, 2025. Institutions found to violate the directive will face penalties.

Punjab Senior Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Maryam Aurangzeb, will supervise the project, while Education Minister Rana Sikandar and Local Government Minister Zeeshan Malik have been assigned specific implementation targets.

According to the notification, each colour will represent a specific category of waste. Yellow bins will be used for paper waste, green for bottles, red for mirror pieces and laboratory waste, and other metals in separate designated bins. These materials will be recycled for future use.

Teams from the Environment Protection Department, along with local government and community development officials, will monitor compliance. Schools meeting all requirements will be awarded honorary certificates.

Separately, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the rising prices of animal fodder in flood-affected areas of Punjab and directed officials to ensure an uninterrupted supply.

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Provincial Minister for Livestock and Rescue Ashiq Hussain Kirmani briefed the Chief Minister, reporting that 4.7 million animals were affected by recent floods. Around 2.2 million animals were shifted to safer areas, while 2 million were vaccinated. Despite rescue efforts, 824 animals were lost during the floods.

The Chief Minister stressed the need to safeguard livestock resources and ensure food availability to prevent further losses.