ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul while shedding light on Pollution issue said that this is one the main issues in the country that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) aims to address and for the very reason initiatives like Clean and Green Pakistan have been launched.
She also said that Youth of the country has the major role to play in tackling issues like climate change through awareness and tree plantation drives. Youth of the country will be kept in loop in the Clean and Green Pakistan she added.
The ministry would initiate campaign across the country to create awareness among the people of Pakistan regarding importance of clean and neat environment, she said, adding that youth, celebrity and religious leaders would also be involved in the drive.
The state minister said government has launched Ten Billion Trees Tsunami project on patron of Billion Trees Project Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which would play crucial role in tackling climate change issues in the country.
She said that millions of people in the country do not have access to a toilet, forcing them to defecate in the open, which is a major contributor to stunting in the country.
The minister said that open defecation can spread disease and lead to intestinal infections, which can contribute to stunting growth in young children.
Earlier Prime Minister Imran Khan launched an ambitious five-year ‘Clean and Green Pakistan’ campaign aimed at beautifying the country and preserving a better environment for coming generations. Addressing the launch of the campaign in Islamabad, he explained contours of the campaign, based on the Holy Prophet (PBUH) saying ‘Cleanliness is half of faith’.
There can be no two opinions that this one initiative, if pursued in letter and in spirit, has the potential to change entire landscape of the country, improve its environment significantly, ultimately resulting in huge monetary savings, which Federal and Provincial Governments are currently spending on treatment of water-borne and pollution-related diseases.
