The Punjab Government has announced one of the most ambitious environmental rehabilitation projects in Pakistan’s history: the conversion of Mehmood Booti, Lahore’s oldest and largest garbage dumpsite, into a thriving urban forest and solar energy park. This transformation targets a site that has accumulated nearly 13 million tons of waste over decades, posing severe environmental, health and social challenges.
This initiative is part of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision to build a Clean and Green Punjab, backed by the province’s flagship sanitation programme, “Suthra Punjab.”
Read more: Punjab Government plans to launch 1600 electric buses to fight pollution
The Legacy of Mehmood Booti: A Long-Standing Environmental Crisis
For years, Mehmood Booti served as Lahore’s primary dumping ground. Millions of tons of unprocessed, untreated waste accumulated in massive piles, releasing toxic fumes, methane gas and foul odours. The site contributed to:
- Groundwater contamination
- Air pollution and smog
- Spread of disease
- Degradation of surrounding communities
- Uncontrolled methane emissions, a major climate pollutant
What was once a green periphery of Lahore became an environmental hazard—until now.
A New Beginning: Turning Waste Into Green Energy and Green Spaces
The Punjab Government plans a complete transformation of the site by capping, rehabilitating and repurposing the waste-filled land. The plan includes two major components:
1. An Urban Forest on Reclaimed Land
After waste is treated, compressed and capped safely, the area will be converted into:
- A dense urban forest
- Public green spaces
- Recreational areas
- Pathways and nature trails
- Environmental education zones
Urban forests are essential for:
- Reducing pollution
- Improving oxygen levels
- Lowering city temperatures
- Supporting biodiversity
- Beautifying neglected urban spaces
This project will become one of the largest urban-land restorations in Pakistan’s history.
2. A Solar Energy Park on Top of the Site
Alongside the forested zones, a major solar power installation is planned. This includes:
- Solar panel fields
- Clean energy generation for the national grid
- Reduced reliance on fossil fuels
By converting a waste dump into a renewable-energy hub, Punjab is demonstrating how environmental challenges can be turned into economic and ecological opportunities.
How “Suthra Punjab” Made This Possible
The transformation at Mehmood Booti is not a standalone project—it is directly enabled by Suthra Punjab, the province’s new clean-Punjab initiative.
What Suthra Punjab Is Achieving
- Managing and treating 50,000 tons of waste per day across Punjab
- Introducing scientific waste-collection systems
- Eliminating open dumping practices
- Deploying modern machinery for segregation and recycling
- Reforming waste-management companies in every major city
- Strengthening legal and enforcement frameworks
For the first time, Punjab is approaching waste management with a strategic, scientific, and scalable model.
Why This Allows Rehabilitation of Old Dumpsites
Because daily waste is now diverted to modern treatment plants, old dumps like Mehmood Booti can finally be:
- Excavated
- Sorted
- Treated
- Stabilized
- Repurposed safely
Without Suthra Punjab’s large-scale reforms, such a transformation would have been impossible.
Waste-to-Energy, Biogas, and Compost: Turning Trash Into Resources
Punjab is also transforming how waste is used, introducing multiple recycling and circular-economy projects.
Waste-to-Energy
Burnable waste is converted into clean electricity, reducing dependence on fossil fuel power plants.
Biogas Production
Organic waste is processed into:
- Biogas for cooking
- Biofuel for electricity
- Fertilizer and soil-enhancing products
This helps lower methane emissions while supporting rural and urban energy needs.
Compost Manufacturing
Green waste, leaves, agricultural residues and organic fractions of garbage are being recycled into nutrient-rich compost, ideal for:
- Agriculture
- Urban parks
- Reforestation projects
- Home gardening
Punjab’s composting programmes also reduce the burden on landfills.
Benefits of Transforming Mehmood Booti Into a Green Landmark
Environmental Recovery
- Reduction in methane emissions
- Improved groundwater protection
- Lower particulate pollution
- New green carbon sinks
Social and Public Health Advantages
- Cleaner air for nearby communities
- Elimination of waste-related diseases
- Safe public recreation zones
Economic and Energy Gains
- Renewable energy generation
- New green jobs in solar, forestry and waste management
- Increased land value in surrounding areas
A Model for Pakistan
This project can inspire similar transformations in:
- Islamabad’s old dumping areas
- Karachi’s landfill zones
- Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala dumpsites
Punjab is setting a national precedent for sustainable urban planning.
Commitment at the Global Stage
Punjab’s move to rehabilitate Mehmood Booti and invest in green infrastructure aligns with global climate goals. At COP30 in Brazil, Maryam Nawaz Sharif is expected to highlight:
- The Suthra Punjab initiative
- Waste-to-energy reforms
- Urban forest expansions
- Green mobility projects
- Solar and renewable energy commitments
This strengthens Pakistan’s climate diplomacy and presents Punjab as a forward-thinking, environmentally responsible region.
A Future Shaped by Green Innovation
The transformation of Mehmood Booti from a 13-million-ton mountain of waste into a thriving urban forest and solar park is more than an environmental project—it is a symbol of a new direction for Punjab.
A cleaner landscape, a greener future, and a sustainable model for cities across the country: this is the legacy Punjab aims to build.