Islamabad: In its bid to make the country's major cities cleaner and greener, the Government of Pakistan has chalked out a major initiative, that it plans to kick off from Islamabad soon.

According to the country's Federal Minister for Environment Syed Wajid Hussain Bukhari, the plan is being developed in consultations with all the stakeholders and would enable Pakistan to declare Islamabad as a green city.

The plan includes a number of initiatives and proposes signing of Islamabad green city charter, which will bound all the signatories to work both individually and collectively to make Islamabad green.

He further said that Islamabad green city action plan, provides for energy conservation strategies, solid waste reduction and management, water conservation and quality management, wastewater management and urban design.

It also provides for air quality management, seasonal fumigation, maintenance of parks and gardens, enhancement of tree plantation and grass cover, launching of public awareness campaigns, introduction of environmentally friendly transport and the introduction of green journalist awards.

Bhukhari further said that the plan provides for setting up of an environmental complaint cell where immediate action would be ensured on public complaints regarding environmental degradation and problems they might be witnessing.

He said that setting up of a green force has also been proposed for the effective implementation of all the environmental laws in Islamabad.

According to Bhukhari, while his Ministry is looking at setting up an Islamabad green city fund to meet the expenses of the whole project, it also plans to raise funds through grants from the government, donations by the non-governmental organisation (NGO) and private sector.
—iGovernment Bureau