Comprehensive policy soon to overcome environment challenges: Minister

FAISALABAD, Oct 29 (APP):State Minister for Climate Changes Zartaj Gull Monday said that a comprehensive and viable policy was at the anvil to meet the challenges related to environment and global warming.
Talking to media and earlier addressing a seminar on ‘Battling Climate Changes and Water Crises’ at University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) here, the minister said the previous governments failed to facilitate the masses. She added that the present government was keen to make Pakistan clean and green.
She observed that Pakistan and India had already signed an agreement that they would not dump their waste along the border but Indian government violated it last year which resulted in heavy smog in Pakistani Punjab.”We will ensure proper implementation on this agreement with continuous diplomatic linkages”, Zartaj Gull added.
Dumping site outside the city areas would also be allocated which would be monitored in a scientific manner to convert waste into energy, she said.
The government had already issued directives to close down all sub-standard brick kilns and industrial units to avoid recurrence of smog related issues during upcoming winter, she said.
The minister said that PTI had the credit of launching billion trees tsunami, adding, the move would be extended to entire country by sensitizing the communities to contribute their role in planting and taking care of the saplings.
Regarding water issues, she said with concern that Pakistan has storage capacity of 30 days as against the bench mark of 1000 days. She said that previous governments ignored this important national issue. “South Punjab is already facing acute shortage of water while the availability of water in other areas is also reducing each day”.
Regarding potable water, she said that it was yet another issue which was being undertaken by PTI government. Clean drinking water was being provided not only in cities but also in rural areas in the country, she said. A well defined SOP has been laid down and it will become mandatory for Local Bodies institutions to provide potable water in their respective areas.
The minister said that this previous self-styled government ruined the power loom sector while PTI government has allocated Rs. 44 billion for the revival of export sector. She told media that APTMA has also assured to revive at least one hundred units which were non-functional for the last many years.
She was critical of the unnecessary hue and cry raised by the opposition, saying that PTI enjoys full confidence and support of the masses and it will implement its welfare agenda in addition to strengthening Pakistan politically and economically.
She said the previous governments failed to take strong stand on Kulbhushan case and Indus Water Treaty at international level due to which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was threatening to stop water of Indus River and build dam by breaching the treaty.
“However, PTI government under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan will plead Pakistan case strongly and defend its all boundaries at international fora”, she added.
Earlier, Vice Chancellor UAF Dr Zafar Iqbal Randhawa also addressed the seminar and stressed the need to sensitize people to conserve water.
Later, the state minister planted a sapling in the lawn of University of Agriculture Faisalabad.