Our Correspondent
Faisalabad
Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul has said that to deal with the climatic changes as a result of global warming and other factors, a comprehensive and viable policy will be chalked out soon. Addressing a seminar on ‘Battling Climate Changes and Water Crises’ at University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and later talking to media here on Monday, Zartaj Gul said the previous governments failed to facilitate the masses. Incumbent government was committed to make Pakistan clean and green, she added.
She said that the India violating the agreement signed between two countries continues to dump the waste along the border creating smog problem in Punjab province. We will ensure proper implementation on this agreement with continuous diplomatic linkages, she vowed. The State Minister for Climate Change said that dumping site outside the city areas would also be allocated which would be monitored in a scientific manner to convert waste into energy.
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 further stated. Zartaj Gul said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (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, the State Minister for Climate Change 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.
She 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. Zartaj Gul 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 that the former 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.
from Daily Pakistan Observer – https://ift.tt/2OYClSX
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