ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Federal Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid on Tuesday told the National Assembly that according to the report of the World Bank, Pakistan was enduring Rs 365 billions annual damages due to the increasing pollution.
Speaking on the resolution moved by the MNA Nighat Parveen Mir in the National Assembly that the “House may discuss the problems arising out of increasing pollution in the country,” the minister informed the Lower House that the country bearing loss of billion of rupees due to air, land and water pollution.
He said that Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) was being empowered at the federal as well as provincial level adding that after the 18th amendment in the constitution it was the responsibility of the provinces to control the pollution in their respective provinces.
The minister stressed that Environmental Protection Agencies of provinces and federal should make a comprehensive strategy to tackle this issue.
He told that the country was placed at number eight in the countries those were severely effected due to climate change.
He said the government was making efforts to tackle the adverse effect of climate changes and the prime minister has directed the ministry to make National Forest Policy to control the pollution.
Source: APP