The sources said the Ministry of National Disaster Management that also deals with environmental issues at the federal level sent a letter to the prime minister and requested him to make arrangements for approval of the National Climate Change Policy in federal cabinet.
In his reply to the ministry, the prime minister assured that the draft policy would be taken up in the meeting of the federal cabinet that enjoys the powers to give final approval in this respect. The sources said no amendment or omission has been suggested in the draft policy and now the ministry has provided it to the Printing Corporation of Pakistan to ensure its submission to the federal cabinet at the earliest.
They also claimed that the federal government has also approached all the provincial governments that have assured their full support over its implementation to cope with growing challenges of climate change and global warming.
The draft of the policy available with ‘The News shows that various steps have been recommended to ensure early rehabilitation, remodelling and up-gradation of the existing irrigation infrastructure to make it resilient to climate change related extreme events. It also suggested identifying new potential dam sites and developing necessary infrastructure to harness the hill torrents potential besides enforcing measures to enhance the life of existing storages.
The draft policy emphasized the need to ensure recycling of wastewater through proper treatment and its reuse in agriculture, artificial wetlands and groundwater recharge; protect and preserve water catchment areas, and reservoirs against degradation, silting and irrigation system contamination; and encourage active participation of farmers in water management. Read the full report here.
Source: Noor Aftab, The News, Islamabad.
