QUETTA: The world in general would face mass migrations because of the adverse effects of global war­ming and Balochistan might again be hit by drought if immediate efforts were not made to stop deforestation there, said experts at a seminar organised by the Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency (BEPA), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Lead Pakistan on Thursday.

In his speech, the adviser to the Balochistan chief minister for environment, forests and wildlife, Obaidullah Jan Babat, lamented that officials of the forest department had not even bothered to attend the seminar which was mainly aimed at underlining the need to stop deforestation.

He said that Quetta was littered with plastic bags because the people had the habit of throwing them in drains after using them, chocking the sewage system of the city in the process.

“Are the EPA, the metropolitan corporation and the commissioner waiting for some special elements to come forward and cleanse the city of garbage heaps?”

Mr Babat wondered what was stopping the authorities from strictly implementing rules prohibiting use of plastic bags and raising awareness among people against the practice of throwing used bags in drains.

Provincial Environment Secretary Hafiz Abdul Basit expressed fears that the world would face mass migrations because of the adverse effects of global warming and other environmental problems.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2014