Keep environment clean, a collective responsibility : Malik Ameen Aslam

ISLAMABAD, Sep 26 (APP):Advisor to Prime Minister on climate change Malik Amin Aslam Khan Wednesday said that it was a collective responsibility of the nation to keep environment clean.
He stated this in a meeting with Mr Bilal Haque from green force and Christina Von Sperling Afridi (Chairperson Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation) to discuss environmental issues of Islamabad Capital Territory.
Federal secretary Minister of Climat Change, Khizar Hayat Khan, was also present.
Bilal Haque presented the summary of Islamabad environment commission report 2015 to the Advisor.
The Green Force, (a group of Islamabad environmental activists) brought to the focus the fact that everyone was aware of the losses, the environmental degradation was causing in Islamabad, but unfortunately no one paid any heed to redressing of the environmental issues in the past, as recommended by the Commission.
Amin Aslam said “We have to create awareness among the masses regarding environmental hazards. The solid waste should be separated at the household level and for this purpose, citizenry should be sensitized on the rudiments of recycling and the need to separate the waste.”
Members of the Green Force opined to have a pedestrian and cycle friendly city and asked the advisor to extend maximum help in stopping the encroachments in the green belts, parks and the Margalla Hills, the need to keep the nullahs clean and legislate against the use of plastic bags.
The Advisor said that provision of clean environment to the people is not only a responsibility but also a religious obligation and we are taking up these issues with relevant ministries.
Moreover, comprehensive, short, medium and long-term plans were being devising for rescuing Islamabad’s environment from degradation and necessary instructions had been passed to the EPA and other concerned departments of the ministry to prepare working papers in this regard, he added.