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| Press Release |
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Seminar and Awards Ceremony: Karachi Needs Proper
Urbanization Planning to Overcome Environmental Pollutions
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Karachi: Proper planning is needed to meet rising urbanization in Pakistan, particularly in Karachi where arrival of people from rural and small towns has caused rise in environment pollutions and put heavy burden on the city’s resources. Karachi’s population has been rising with world’s highest rate, causing suffocation, rise in air pollution, water scarcity and environmental diseases. If proper planning is not made in the city with immediate effect, there will be severe environment degradations.
This was the crux of the seminar on Urbanization & Environment and the 12the Annual Environment Excellence Awards ceremony, organized by National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) in collaboration with PARCO, Department of Youth Affairs Sindh and other organizations at a local hotel.
Environment Department Sindh’s former secretary Shamsul Haq Memon said that urbanization is called population shift from rural areas to towns and cities, where they come to get work and facilities. Urban population is driven by arrival of rural areas people that affects environment in the cities. “The rise in urban population puts burden on energy and food consumption, ultimately causing environment pollution.”
Memon said: “Urban areas are suffering from air, noise and water pollution due to rising population. Water pollution causes Hepatitis and other diseases among citizens. Urbanization however provides facilities of education, health, employment, and transportation, which are less in the rural areas. He stressed the need for proper planning for meeting urbanization needs.
Zaigham Mahmood Rizvi, Consultant, World Bank on Housing and Infrastructure, said that environment pollution is caused by undisciplined population. World population is rising with high rate, while poverty is also on the rise.
“Majority of population in the world is poor. Pakistan’s population has risen to 200 million with 2% growth rate, while Karachi has 6% population growth rate annually, which is highest in the world. Six to eight million Afghanis, Bangalis and other aliens are residing in Karachi. Population rise is a big issue facing Pakistan, which needs to be resolved on priority basis.”
FPCCI’s Standing Committee on Environment’s Chairman Gulzar Firoz said that 90% industries in Karachi do not have effluent treatment plants, while only 10 have this facility. A task force is needed for work on four combined effluent treatment plants for Karachi, while Sindh government help in this regard is also mandatory. He said that Karachi industries need to install effluent treatment plants to treat industrial discharge so that marine pollution could be reduced.
PPP leader and senator Taj Haider said that there is no proper planning for settling rising population in the cities, particularly in Karachi. People living in rural areas and slumps of the cities should be given facilities at their doorsteps. Karachi faces problem of garbage disposing of. However, we are working on solid waste management projects under which people will be given bags to dispose of their garbage to fixed garbage dumping sites so that environment could be kept clean and green.
He said that we are also working on installation of RO plants along coastal areas so that people could get pure water.
Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui stressed the need for making Karachi clean and green through mass tree plantation. He said everyone should take part in the city’s tree plantation, while those working in this regard should be encouraged.
Earlier, NFEH President Muhmmad Naeem Qureshi thanked the distinguished guests for attending the seminar and award ceremony. He especially thanked Parco, Youth Affairs and other companies for collaborating in the program.
He said that Karachi needs mass tree plantation. Last year, we planted 300,000 trees in collaboration with commissioner office, and this year, we have been given a target of 200,000 trees to be planted in the city.
The program was also attended among others by noted environmentalist Afia Salam, Yar Mohammad.
Following companies were given away environment excellence awards by NFEH: Adamjee Insurance Company Limited, Afroze Textile Industries (Pvt) Limited, Asian Food Industries Limited, B.R.R. Guardian Modaraba, Bestway Cement Limited (Farooqia), Bestway Cement Limited (Chakwal), Bestway Cement Limited (Hattar), Century Paper & Board Mills Limited, Dalda Foods (Pvt) Limited, Dawlance (Pvt) Limited, Dreamworld Resort , Hotel & Golf Course, Dawn Bread, Descon Engineering Limited, Dr. Essa’s Laboratory & Diagnostic Center, Fauji Cement Company Limited, Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited, Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited, Fauji Oil Terminal and Distribution Co. Limited, Foundation Hospital Rajana, Ghani Engineering System, Golden Polytec (Pvt) Limited, Haier & Ruba Pakistan, Inspectest (Pvt) Limited, International Industries Limited, Karachi Marriott Hotel, K-Electric Limited, Kot Addu Power Company Limited (KAPCO), KSB Pumps Company Limited, Lotte Chemical Pakistan Limited, Lucky Cement Limited, MESEC, Mima Knit (Pvt) Limited, Mughal Iron & Steel Industries Limited, National Refinery Limited, Novartis Pharma (Pakistan) Limited, NUST Institute of Civil Engineering (NICE), Oil & Gas Development Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Pvt) Limited, Pak-Arab Refinery Limited (PARCO), Pakcem Limited, Pakistan Cables Limited, Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Limited, Pakistan Oilfields Limited, Pakistan Refinery Limited, Patel Hospital, Pebbles (Pvt) Limited, Qarshi Industries (Pvt) Limited, Rafhan Maize Products Co. Limited, Roots School System, Siddiq Leather Works (Pvt) Limited, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC), United Marine Agencies (Pvt) Limited, United King, Pakistan Accumulators (Pvt) Limited, Water Regime (Pvt) Limited are the award winner companies.
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