Joint efforts to improve environment stressed

LAHORE:Punjab University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood has said that climate change is a challenge for the whole world, for which everyone has to play an active role.

He was addressing a seminar organised by PU College of Earth and Environmental Sciences (CEES) in collaboration with Bargad Foundation to mark ‘World Environment Day’. On this occasion, Secretary Environment Punjab Jahangir Anwar, CEES Principal Prof Dr Sajid Rashid Ahmad, Sabiha Shaheen from Bargad Foundation, faculty members, environment experts and students were present.

In his address, Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood said that human populations have a big hand in polluting the environment and it is our responsibility to eliminate it. He said that the CEES students could go to other departments of the university and provide awareness to reduce the use of plastic and environmental pollution.

Jahangir Anwar said that the Punjab government was taking practical steps to eliminate plastic to tackle pollution. He said that due to the lack of awareness about proper use, Pakistan is one of the countries in the world that waste plastic instead of making it reusable. He said that the Punjab government has created ‘no-plastic bag zones' in government offices to reduce environmental pollution. Prof Dr Sajid Rashid Ahmad said that climate change was a big problem in the present era, for the solution of which academicians, researchers, students and government institutions must decide the action plan together. He said that the college students are with the government in every awareness campaign to improve the environment; without denying the use of plastic, the clean drinking water, the comfort of the environment and the elimination of air pollution will remain a dream, he added. He claimed that one million plastic bottles were being sold every minute in Pakistan, which needed to be reduced.

Sabiha Shaheen said that the students of PU CEES can ensure the provision of a better environment for Pakistan by using their skills. An awareness documentary about environmental pollution was presented in the event. Later, the participants took out an awareness rally under the theme ‘No Plastic’.