Govt aims to improve air quality for better economic results: Malik Amin
This project will give positive and long-lasting effect on economy, he added.
(APP) – Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said on Tuesday that the incumbent government has been taking immediate measures to improve air quality by using best available technologies. He also maintained that the government aims to implement Clean and Green Pakistan and Electric Vehicle projects for better economic results in the future.
Talking to a private news channel, the adviser said the PTI government has been taking steps to address issues related to water pollution, air and vehicular pollution, industrial pollution, improper waste disposal in cities and towns in the country.
He said the government has already launched the National Clean Green Programme, a time-bound national level strategy to tackle increasing air pollution due to climate change.
Aslam said the government has worked on important projects such as the Billion Tree Tsunami to reduce the risks of increasing environmental and air pollution; however more work is still needed.
“Bad air quality may result in serious health effects, worsening lung and heart diseases, and causing respiratory effects, especially during winter from October to December, when citizens should avoid exposure to dangerous air.”
The federal cabinet has also approved the first-ever national Electric Vehicles (EV) policy in a bid to tackle effects of climate change and offer affordable transport which would be a game changer for Pakistan, he mentioned.
This project will give positive and long-lasting effect on economy, he added.
He said that with the introduction of electric cars, trucks, vans and even tri-wheeler rickshaws, the rate of pollution and smog would drop.
Amin said besides reducing air pollution, pollution monitoring networks would be enhanced across the country, and activities would be put in place to improve awareness among masses.
He said Prime minister Imran Khan has special interest in green and sustainable development. “That is why the Climate Change Ministry was tasked to come up with an Electric Vehicle Policy.”
He said Khan’s government would involve all stakeholders from energy to automobile industries for effective results.
“Air pollution is the most silent killer and it has been increasing all over the world while killing millions of people annually […] It is costing six per cent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) whereas at present it has reached to 9 per cent.”
The adviser further said the clean and green project initiated by the government would be beneficial for the pollution reduction.
“We are going to take clean green programme in all schools across the country in the next phase”, he added.
“Our ministry has given a five-point agenda for five years including up-scaled 10 billion tree tsunami project, clean green Pakistan movement, plastic bags ban, electric vehicle policy and recharge Pakistan”.
“All these agendas are set keeping in view the challenges of pollution and climate change into consideration for a green future development,” Amin said.
