Joint working group to ensure safe drinking water, says Saad

LAHORE - PML-N government in Punjab will form a joint working group comprising Water and Sanitation Agency, representatives of government and civil society organisations to ensure safe drinking water in the province.
The government will make concerted and coordinated efforts to resolve environment problem including water and air pollution. A comprehensive anti-encroachment campaign would be launched soon.
This was stated by PML-N stalwart and Former Federal Minister for Culture and Youth Affairs Khawaja Saad Rafiq while addressing a seminar on 'Waterborne diseases' held under the aegis of Al-Khidmat foundation Lahore presided over by Naimatullah khan, Ex-district nazim Karachi and President of Al-Khidmat Foundation Pakistan. Hafiz Salman Butt, President Al-Khidmat Foundation Lahore and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
He praised Al-Khidmat Foundation Lahore's Anti-Water Born disease campaign with endeavour to provide healthy human environment by eradicating water borne disease. He also called upon the civil society organisations to contribute towards such efforts to improve, protect and maintain the quality of fresh water fit for public.
He observed that water was a critical resource and achieving water security was a major priority of the government. He said water borne diseases were one of the major hazards for public health and the government was committed to providing safe drinking water to the entire population of the Province.
He further said that deterioration and contamination of lakes, rivers and groundwater aquifers had increased water borne diseases and other health hazards and the Punjab government will launch a project involving preventive steps against water borne disease and awareness programme to check contamination in water sources.
He showed concern over the level of pollution in river bodies and quality of water being supplied for human consumption, pollution threats to water resources and future scarcity of water in view of excessive extraction of ground water.