Govt introduced multiple initiatives to combat climate change: Minister

LAHORE, Dec 24 (APP): Provincial Minister for Environment Protection Department (EPD) Muhammad Rizwan Tuesday said that the incumbent government had introduced multiple campaigns and drives to combat climate change, including the Billion Tree Tsunami and Clean & Green Pakistan programme.

Over the past decade, Lahore had lost about 70 per cent of its tree cover as the city became an urban centre.

He said that pollution levels in the city had increased drastically and posing a danger to its residents as no adequate measures were taken to curb pollution and preserve the environment by the previous governments.

He expressed these views while talking to media persons on the occasion of inauguration ceremony of clean & green index Punjab here.

The minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had launched the Clean & Green Pakistan Index (CGPI) as part of the government’s efforts to curb pollution and reduce the effects of climate change.

Air pollution was caused by heavy traffic and old technology brick kilns etc, however the government aimed to introduce electric cars to reduce harmful emissions, he added.

In initial phase of CGPI, 19 cities, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Okara and Bahawalpur have been selected to compete on certain issues of public interest.

They would be judged on addressing issues such as safe drinking water, solid waste management, liquid waste management, city beautification, cleanliness of streets, usability of parks, tree plantation, total sanitation/hygiene and community participation.

The minister urged the masses to join the government’s efforts to make Pakistan clean & green.

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