LAHORE: Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb says the ‘Punjab Climate Change Policy & Action Plan 2024’ has been given a final shape and submitted to the cabinet for approval.

Presiding over a meeting on Saturday, Ms Aurangzeb said the policy, aimed at eliminating smog and the hazardous impacts of climate change, was being sent to all the relevant stakeholders. She said the ‘Plant for Pakistan’ campaign would be expanded.

The proposal to conserve and utilise rainwater in the government buildings along with launching these experimental programmes in various districts was reviewed in the meeting.

A proposal to establish a `Water Quality Monitoring System’ to assess the quality of water, along with introducing laws to control underground water, was also reviewed.

Additionally, a proposal to introduce the latest methods in the irrigation system for water conservation along with establishing small dams in the Pothohar and Rohi areas was unanimously agreed.

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The proposal to launch a ‘Special Management Plan’ to save south Punjab from famine was reviewed in the meeting. A proposal to grant climate-friendly interest-free loans to small-scale business persons was put forth in the meeting.

Ms Aurangzeb said, “Climate change is a global issue which pertains to human life and death. The climate change effects are causing a colossal loss to the global climate and destruction to human lives as well.

“Besides undertaking concrete steps, awareness needs to be imparted to all segments of people about the importance of planting trees so as to save the climate from the toxic effects of injurious and poisonous gases.”

The senior minister further said following the CM’s vision it had been decided to expedite the ‘Plant for Pakistan’ campaign, making green investments in the affected sectors along with incorporating ‘Climate Change Education’ in the educational curriculum.

She said the destructive effects of climate change were coming to the surface in the shape of frequent occurrences of floods, famine and forest fire incidents.

Punjab is emitting approximately 95,000 kilotons of greenhouse gases and 7,000 kilotons of health-injurious gases. High-temperature hot spots persist in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Sargodha, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur and Multan.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2024