PM Imran fears second Covid-19 wave in polluted cities

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed fear that second wave of novel coronavirus may hit cities where pollution level is high in coming two months amid winter season. 

He warned about it while addressing the Clean Green Index Award ceremony in Islamabad. 

He said that cities with high level of pollution like Faisalabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi, etc. could face second spike in October and November. 

The premier has emphasized on reforestation in Pakistan to save future of the coming generations.

The premier said that the government has set an ambitious target of planting ten billion trees, while keeping cities clean by managing solid waste is next objective. 

He said efforts are also being made to generate electricity from the solid waste as being done in rest of the world. 

He said: “We have to clean air and water pollution, for which we have to first change mind-set of the people to get them realized its importance”.

Imran Khan hinted at introducing a system of reward and punishment to overcome climate change hazards. 

He said deputy commissioners and other officials, who perform well in this movement of Clean-Green Pakistan, should be rewarded and this should be reflected in their Annual Confidential Reports as well. 

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam briefed that Attock and Bannu districts clinched the first position on the climate change index in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa respectively.

Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the Clean Green Pakistan Index (CGPI) on November 25th 2019.

The major focus of the initiative is to inculcate a spirit of competition on cleanliness initiatives in the cities and facilitate the behavioural change, building positive attitudes, institutional strengthening for better water, sanitation and hygiene services and facilities.

35 sub-indicators for ranking the cities are used against 5 core pillars:

1. Access to water
2. Access to sanitation
3. Hygiene
4. Solid waste management
5. Plantation