Lahore, July 04, 2023 (PPI-OT): Caretaker Minister for Planning, Forests, Wildlife and Fisheries Bilal Afzal has said that the region we are living in was the most affected by climate change and that major challenge could be tackled only by planting more and more trees. He was chairing a departmental meeting at the office of DG Fisheries on Monday. Secretary Mudassir Waheed and other officers briefed him on the performance and problems of the department. Bilal Afzal directed that the punishments for the protection of forests should be made more severe so that those who cut trees can be held accountable. He directed that a comprehensive plan should be drawn up for the success of the upcoming monsoon plantation campaign, likely to begin within a few days. Bilal Afzal, “there are vast opportunities for shrimp and fish production in the province, so a new policy should be formulated for it so that not only local demand of proteins can be met but also foreign exchange can be earned through exports.”
The minister said that for plantation and fish farming, private sector can be engaged effectively. The provincial minister said that immediate steps should be taken to for the excessive animals in zoos and safari parks to be adapted by the willing citizens so that on the one hand their care can be improved and on the other hand the government income can also increase. He said that the lands of the forest department along with freeing it from the land grabbing mafia, it should also be made safe in future and no political pressure be taken into account in this regard. Bilal Afzal said that officers should improve their performance according to the vision of Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi. He assured that the government would provide full cooperation for the protection of forests and wildlife and he himself will play his role in the cabinet committees to solve the pending matters of the department without further delay.
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Directorate General Public Relations,
Government of the Punjab
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-9201390-86
Website: www.punjab.gov.pk