The Punjab government has imposed a province-wide garbage tax as part of its ‘Suthra Punjab’ (Clean Punjab) initiative, following approval from the Cabinet Division.
Initially applied to upscale residential and commercial areas, the levy will be collected in Lahore by the Lahore Waste Management Company’s (LWMC) revenue and operational teams, with plans to expand collection to other districts.
Under the new rates, urban households on five marlas will pay Rs300 per month, while rural homes of the same size will be charged Rs200. In cities, houses between five and 10 marlas will pay Rs500 compared with Rs200 in rural areas. Properties of 10 marlas to one kanal will face a Rs1,000 monthly charge in urban centres and Rs400 in villages. Larger properties between two and four kanals will pay Rs2,000, while houses above four kanals in cities will be taxed Rs5,000. Rural homes over two kanals will pay Rs400.
For businesses, small shops will be charged Rs500 in cities and Rs300 in villages. Medium-sized shops will pay Rs1,000 in urban areas and Rs700 in rural areas, while large commercial establishments will face a levy of Rs3,000 in cities and Rs2,000 in villages.
LWMC has already started distributing bills under the scheme, which officials say will improve waste management and generate funds to support a cleaner Punjab.
