CM wants action on environment

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has directed the departments concerned to immediately prepare an action plan for protection of environment. He stressed the need for eliminating aquatic and environmental pollution as it had become imperative to protect the people from various diseases. He further directed measures to supply potable water to the people, besides eliminating the pollution in rivers and canals. The Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD) has been asked to provide guidance to the industrialists regarding the installation of treatment plants at their units. He directed the secretaries of irrigation, industries, agriculture, environment protection, transport, housing, information technology and planning and development departments to develop a coordinated system in regards to environmental protection on scientific lines.

The chief minister was addressing a meeting of the Environment Protection Department on Thursday. The Punjab Minister for the Environment Makhdoom Ashfaq Ahmed, CM’s Advisor Jehangir Tareen, Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Rasool, Secretary Irrigation Javed Majeed, Secretary Planning and Development Sohail Ahmed, Secretary Housing Riaz Ahmed, Secretary Environment Iqbal Sheikh, Secretary Agriculture Arif Nadim and Secretary Transport Agha Nadim attended the meeting.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that the EPD would be reorganised in order to ensure strict implementation of the measures regarding environmental protection. Mr Elahi maintained that the provincial government would provide resources for an early completion of the environmental protection projects. He said that the present government in collaboration with international organisations would execute various projects to check aquatic pollution so that contamination-free water could be available for agriculture purposes. He further said that a mass awareness campaign for environment protection would soon be launched. Minister for Environment Makhdoom Ashfaq Ahmed said that the EPD in collaboration with respective departments would chalk out an action plan. —Staff Report

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