Director General Punjab Saaf Pani Authority Zohaib Butt has said that the Punjab Saaf Pani Authority is committed to provide clean water to people across the province.
In an interview with Radio Pakistan Lahore correspondent Qasim Bukhari, the DG Punjab Saaf Pani Authority Zohaib Butt said that the Punjab Saaf Pani Authority is a newly established body, created under an act in September 2024, with the purpose of ensuring the supply of clean water to the people of Punjab. Through filtration plants at strategically placed dispensing points, the authority is ensuring water supply in rural, urban, and peri-urban areas.
He said that there are currently 5,100 filtration plants across Punjab, installed by various government institutions. He informed these plants have now been transferred to the Punjab Saaf Pani Authority by the Punjab government, making the operation and maintenance of these filtration plants the authority’s responsibility.
He explained that consolidating the mandate of filtration plants will enable a quicker resolution of public complaints. He also emphasized that no institution other than the Punjab Saaf Pani Authority will be permitted to install water filtration plants in the province.
Additionally, he revealed that the Punjab Saaf Pani Authority has already installed over 1,000 filtration plants equipped with modern technology to ensure the supply of clean water across Punjab. He said that the authority has introduced its first-of-its-kind surface water treatment plant, established along a canal in Renala Khurd.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the Punjab Saaf Pani Authority has introduced a unique hand pump, known as the "village pump," which facilitated clean water supply in flood-affected areas in 2022 and this initiative widely appreciated by the government.
Zohaib Butt also informed that the Punjab Saaf Pani Authority is the only public sector authority in Pakistan that has successfully claimed carbon credits. Under this claim, the authority’s 1,000 installed plants will receive four billion rupees from international organizations over the next ten years for repair and maintenance purposes.
On the occasion of World Water Day, he conveyed a message emphasizing that water is a symbol of life and a guarantee of a secure future for coming generations. He stressed the importance of preserving clean water as essential for sustainability.