Islamabad - A group of volunteers, formed as ‘Friends of Margalla Hills National Park’ (MHNP) on Sunday picked up trash from the trail 5 in order to make the hiking track an environment friendly passage.
Talking to APP, Managing Director of a foreign company Tassadaq Malik said the ‘Trash Hunting’ drive was initiated by him some 3 years ago when he spotted some unfriendly visitors of MHNP busy in littering these trails.”
A year ago, we had declared the trails plastic free zones but lack of awareness still compels us to do cleaning activities here thrice a month,” Malik added.
Sikhawat Ali, a visitor present during the activity, praised the self-initiating efforts of the volunteers and said this kind of spirit be shown in all spheres to make Pakistan a nation of rational people.
“Together we can bring the real change in our beloved country,” he added. Professor Zahid Baig Mirza Chairman Scientific Committee of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board termed it a positive step in the right direction that would certainly encourage the other citizens for keeping the city clean.
“Capital Development Authority (CDA) has to introduce a strict policy and should force the public to avoid polluting recreational points by imposing heavy fines as awareness campaigns could not help in reducing the littering,” he noticed.
Underlining the drastic impacts of littering on flaura and fauna, Zahid said, it caused imbalance of spices and increased the number of scavengers who ate plastic bags that also affected the predators, thus contributed in destroying the overall ecosystem.
“We have to opt for preventive measures along with awareness drives,” he added. CDA Director Islamabad Zoo informed that the CDA had already adopted strict policy against littering of the recreational spots and had been imposing the fines on violators in Rawal Lake Park. The department had submitted a proposal for imposition of fines at all recreational points to the visitors who dare to pollute the picnic spots. He hoped that the proposal would get a nod from Metropolitan Cooperation of Islamabad in the upcoming meeting scheduled to be held in the next week.