Director General Environment Protection Ch Asif Iqbal also spoke on the occasion. Provincial Minister Zakia Shahnawaz said that shifting of entire responsibility to the industry for pollution is a sheer injustice because various other factors are also playing havoc in this regard. The environment issue can be tackled through joint efforts as it is harming all segments of society.
She said the conservation and plantation of trees is our prime responsibility and urged the industrial sector to avail latest technologies for waste management, water treatment and to reduce gas omission. She also called for separation of residential and industrial areas.
LCCI president said the campaign is aimed at motivating the industrialists to take ownership and responsibility to clean the environment around their place of work by beautification/landscaping inside and outside of their factories on available spaces and by removing solid/industrial waste around.
He said that removal and safe disposal of solid waste, wastewater, and plantation of trees, flowers and plants and improvement of landscape are main goals of the competition. He emphasized that the beautification and landscaping which includes planting trees in the industrial areas is the first step towards providing a clean and safe environment.
About forestation, he mentioned that Pakistan is ranked 79 with around 1 percent under-forest area while Russia and India stand first and 10th position respectively with over 49 percent and 23 percent.