The disturbed eco system costs Pakistan Rs 365 billion every year, said speakers of a moot on climate change and importance of trees held at a local hotel under the aegis of Hamdard Naunehal Assembly, Karachi chapter.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Guest, and Director General Institute of Environmental Protection, Government of Sindh, Naem Mughal, said that the deteriorating condition of the eco-system in Pakistan had been causing a damage to country of Rs 365 billion annually, Rs 1 billion daily. Due to the environmental pollution and contaminated drinking water, the Sindh government spent an additional amount of Rs 1.8 billion on health sector, he added.
“No doubt global warming is an international issue and a challenge for the whole world. Pakistan is the 110th country on the list of those countries which produce huge greenhouse gases which cause global warming, but it is the second most badly affected country in the world by the climate change,” he said. It was the result of those activities that created imbalance in natural eco-system, he added.
“Pakistan is an agricultural country and major segment of its population depends on agriculture, but rural economy is on the verge of devastation because of severe floods and change in the rainy system due to climate change. My institute has made a frame work to meet the challenges of climate change in 2013 and policies and new laws are being made by the Sindh government accordingly.”
He said the garbage, refuse and untreated water of the factories was being thrown into the sea and downstream water, resulting in escalation of water-born diseases in Karachi and other parts of the province. His institute, with the collaboration of other concerned departments, did not allow the recent heat wave to repeat the death toll of last year as only four persons died due to heatstroke this year though it was more severe than the last year, he added.
He said mafias were cutting trees in the cities and forests in rural areas resulting great disturbance in eco-system in the country. The young speakers of this assembly had rightly said that keeping the eco system in order was the responsibility of all of them, he added. He was much impressed by the knowledge and approach of the young speakers and wished to be a member of this assembly, he added.
He suggested that training of plantation should be given to children in schools. “A child who protects his/her plant well should be awarded a ‘tamgha’, like pride of performance, in order to encourage him/her for plantation,” he suggested.
He congratulated Mrs Sadia Rashid on running such a wonderful forum of Naunehal Assembly for children and said she was doing a great job for education and training of children, and deserved all the praise.
