Minister for Environment Major Tahir Iqbal (Retd) on Tuesday said the government was planning to ban two stroke engine vehicles from across the country till 2006. "Plan is afoot to weed out two stroke engine vehicles in different phases to avoid environmental degradation from across the country. The phasing out process will be completed till 2006," he told PTV. He said Punjab government had already announced ban on two stroke engines.
Pakistan clean air programme (PCAP) had been launched, he said adding that no vehicle would be allowed to come on road without clearance from the concerned agencies.
Tahir said environmental protection plans amounting Rs 25 billion had been earmarked for the next five years. "The main thrust will be on water conservation and providing clean drinking water to the masses," he said.
Teachers were being recruited and assigned to give occasional lectures in the morning assemblies of different schools informing children about the hazards of environmental degradation, environment minister said.
Tahir Iqbal said services of district governments would also be hired to motivate the rural area people for making the environment clean.
The subject of environment was being included from class one to 12 within three months to ensure awareness about clean environment from the gross root level, he said.
He added Pakistan's economy was bearing Rs 1.7 billion losses due to environmental degradation and a mass campaign would be run to avoid those losses.
He urged philanthropic approach by establishing welfare organisations for helping government in providing clean drinking water facility all over the country.
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