Launches climate leadership internship program
Firing a fresh salvo at the PTI in the backdrop of the former ruling party’s recent attempts to stage protest in Islamabad and Lahore, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday said that they failed to spread “political smog” in the country.
The Punjab’s chief executive made the remarks while addressing the inaugural ceremony of “CM Climate Leadership Development Internship programme”.
Maryam blasted the Imran Khan-founded party for what she said promoting the culture of protests and agitation in the cash-strapped country.
She accused the former ruling party of using the KP government resources for the protest and said: “Government employees and official vehicles were brought [to stage protest in Islamabad].
“PTI’s agenda is to create chaos,” she said, asking what the opposition party was showing to the world.
“Neither they work, nor let others do their work,” the Punjab chief minister said while raising questions over the performance of the KP government.
“We will not let the country fall come what may,” she added. The chief minister also slammed the PTI’s “Billion Tree Tsunami” project.
Referring to the smog issue in Lahore, the chief minister stressed the need for climate diplomacy with India.
Lahore remains one of the most polluted cities of the world as the main reason for the spread of smog in the mega city was the burning of residues of crops in Indian Punjab.
The chief minister said that they were monitoring the smoke emitting vehicles and issuing fitness certificates.
Stressing the need for effective measures, CM Maryam said that the smog could not be controlled by merely “pressing a button”.
Highlighting her efforts for the environment, the chief minister said that the PML-N government has activated the environment department.
The Chief Minister launched the CM Internship Climate Resilient Leadership Program by inaugurating Pakistan’s first smog hotline “1373”.
The Chief Minister directed to ensure one percent fund for plantation in the development project. She announced to increase the honorarium of Climate Change Leadership Internship Program from Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000 and directed to plant trees along the road sides during construction and repair of roads.
She also directed to introduce the ‘theme of smog’ from October 15 to November 15 in the schools across Punjab.
Maryam Nawaz while addressing the ceremony said, “Climate diplomacy with the Indian Punjab. The effects of smog are the same on both sides, so Pakistan and Indian Punjab should launch start similar measures to eliminate it. Smog will end not by merely pressing a button, rather by undertaking collective efforts. Everyone should know about the importance of smog elimination. My primary vision in Punjab is youth development. When the interns were informed about giving Rs. 25,000 honorarium then it was realized that the amount is inadequate. Even 60,000 rupees are inadequate for the internship program. I felt pleased to see the interns coming from different districts of Punjab. I have also directed to ensure jobs security of children after their internship program. The environment leader should get a job in the field of environment so that the children can fully benefit from education and training. The interns should be placed in Environment and Forest Departments.”
The CM said, “It is also the responsibility of the institutions to provide job links for jobs in other departments. In the past, the Environment Department was treated as a defunct department. Environmental internship is not a job but a sacred responsibility. It gave me a sense of importance of greenery on coming out of the death cell in the prison. Protecting the green environment bestowed by Allah Almighty is a great responsibility of all of us. The interns will not only improve the environment but also make the cities environmentally safe. Marriyum Aurangzeb and her team worked beyond my expectations. Alhamdulillah, Punjab Government launches a new project every day and its implementation is ensured as well. I am the daughter of Nawaz Sharif who never made any false promise to the people. Nawaz Sharif always fulfilled his promises whatever he made with the people.”
She added, “Environmental protection is not the responsibility of a single department or a single province, but the responsibility of the entire Pakistan. 25 crore people should jointly solve the problem of environment. A nation cannot develop without infrastructure development. Those who think of development without infrastructure development can be deemed as ignorant. One percent of plantation in the development project has been included in the SOPs. Doing cruelty to animals is the practice of uncivilized nations.”
The Chief Minister said, “Immediate action is being taken when incidents of animal cruelty come to light in Punjab. In Punjab, a person who cut off the leg of a donkey was apprehended caught and put in jail. One of the hallmarks of a civilized nation is how it treats animals. By the grace of Allah Almighty, air quality index is improving. Smog does not last from October to February, but throughout the year. We will have to remove obstacles confronting for the improvement of environment. Smog causes breathing problems and eyes damage. The smog becomes so dangerous that even schools and offices have to be closed. Children are suffering from respiratory diseases because of smog. Complications of respiratory diseases arise due to smog problems in children. We will have to take multiple measures for the elimination of smog. Every child in every house should be apprised about the knowledge for the smog elimination. Eradication of smog is a question of life and health of our children.”
She said, “Smog awareness will be taught as a subject in schools. The implementation of the action plan for sustainable measures to reduce smog has started. An end-to-end action plan has been formulated to eliminate smog and smog will reduce in the coming days. A warning was given for the black smoke coming out of the brick kilns and after the warning it was demolished for committing violation. We don’t want to spoil anyone’s livelihood, but action has to be taken with a heavy heart against those who pollute the environment. Cameras have been installed on chimneys in the industries, whose surveillance is being done in the monitoring room. In case of smoke emission, an immediate call is being made to the industry control room. Monitoring of environment through drone digital inspection, CCTV is also ongoing. The fat melting factories are not only polluting the environment, but people are being poisoned as well.”
CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif stated, “Political pollution is not visible but destroys the country. Protest, siege, burning are wrong traditions. Now inflation has reduced to 9% from 38% and has to be done for ensuring it. I always think about the well-being of people while sitting on a chair. I want to make Punjab full of opportunities for the new generation so that they don’t need to go abroad for employment. If inflation is going down then protest from KPK has to be brought to check it. During the protest, police personnel from KPK have been arrested who invaded Punjab and Islamabad police. The martyred police personnel was someone’s father and someone’s son and what was his fault?”
The CM said, “Prime Minister of Malaysia visited Pakistan and now SCO is going to start and now they are striving to lodge protests once again to portray bad image of Pakistan. One province is invading the federation with full equipment. Their politics is getting buried due to low inflation. The country is progressing by leaps and bounds. By working for someone, the life of the poor is being facilitated and they neither work themselves nor allow others to work for the poor. Those who spread political smog had to face failure and the people did not give any response. If the people get relief, no one cares about such people.”
She said, “Come what may, we will not let any harm to be done to our country. Everyone will see a developing, flourishing Punjab. For the first time, a scholarship worth Rs. 40 billion has been launched for education. The government will pay the fee in case of not being able to pay fee in case of getting enrolment in the university. She inspected the Mobile Air Quality Monitoring Station.
