Punjab advancing climate action through data-driven initiatives, policy reforms; Maryam Aurangzeb

RAWALPINDI, May 07 (APP): Senior Provincial Minister Punjab, Maryam Aurangzeb, here on Thursday said that under the leadership of Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the provincial government had ensured practical and effective environment-friendly initiatives across Punjab, yielding encouraging results.

Addressing the Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference, she said that the work was underway on a Climate Observatory project, which would be the largest in the region, housing comprehensive data on land, floods, climate change and environmental indicators.

Policymakers, experts, researchers and stakeholders from various sectors attended the conference.

She said Punjab, being the country’s most populous province, had witnessed a series of transformative measures aimed at environmental protection, air pollution control and climate action.

The minister said electric buses were being operated across the province, while the Air Quality and Climate Vision had been launched as a formal policy initiative, which was being continuously reviewed and monitored.

She said an Environmental Protection Force had been established, while a special committee constituted on the directives of the chief minister was actively reviewing matters related to climate change and air pollution.

Highlighting industrial reforms, she said, relocation of industries from residential areas was underway, adding that over 30 industrial units in Faisalabad had been addressed, while 40 tanneries in Sialkot had been shifted out of residential zones.

She said smog remained a major challenge and pointed out that when the current government assumed office, there was no effective air quality monitoring system. However, 59 air quality monitors had now been installed across Punjab.

Maryam Aurangzeb said environmental control units had been set up in 9,000 industrial units, while brick kilns had been issued QR codes and were being continuously monitored under a strict zero-tolerance policy.

She said work on reconstruction and rehabilitation of the drainage system was in progress across the province, adding that 6,000 super seeders were operational, significantly reducing crop residue burning.

The minister said that Punjab was being divided into environmental zones, including no-plastic zones, to make the environment more human-friendly.

She said that building bylaws had been introduced for Murree and implementation of the Murree Master Plan was underway.

She added that major steps had also been taken in the health sector, with 60,000 health workers recruited to provide doorstep medical services, while diseases linked to air pollution were being identified at an early stage.

Maryam Aurangzeb said several countries had approached Punjab to learn from its efforts in tackling air pollution and environmental challenges.

She said mobile air quality monitors would soon operate street by street to monitor air standards, while collaboration with the private sector would be further strengthened.

Inviting researchers and students, she encouraged them to visit and review the environmental initiatives undertaken by the Punjab government. She added that the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry was also being developed.

The minister said significant improvement had been recorded in the Air Quality Index over the past two years as part of efforts to ensure a smog-free environment.

She added that 30,000 roads had been constructed or rehabilitated during the same period, while tree plantation had also been carried out along roadsides.

She said that the Suthra Punjab Programme was being successfully implemented in urban and rural areas, while indiscriminate operations against illegal encroachments had also been carried out across the province.