Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) on Sunday organized a seminar to mark the World Environment Day at Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi.
Stage drama and live music show were also performed to commemorate the day.
The Chief Guest was Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Sindh Muhammad Ismail Rahoo, who in his keynote address said that all types of pollution are equally hazardous but water and air pollution directly affect the environment and human health. He said that no environmental problem can be resolved by working in isolation and community participation is a must to improve our local environment. He further said that industrialized nations polluted their environment in the beginning but later on they adopted measures to contain it within limits. However, developing nations like ours have to do a lot to ensure environmental safety both at industrial and civic levels.
Earlier Additional Chief Secretary Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Muhammad Hassan Iqbal said in his speech that public awareness plays a key role to help the government enforce green laws effectively. He was of the view that people cooperate in the enforcement of environmental law and resist if they don’t understand the gravity of the situation. In the beginning Director, Technical Waqar Hussain Phulpoto gave an overview of the performance and functioning of SEPA and informed that with its limited resources it has devoted most of its manpower to the monitoring industries and hospitals so that their pollution may be controlled to secure people and environment from it.
Later a Stage Drama entitled “it is impossible to breathe” (Saans Lena Mohaal) was presented highlighting the issues related to air pollution. The theme, story, and dramatization of the play put a deep impact on the audience and it received thunderous applause from them. Later, the Festival was concluded with a live music show which played live songs mostly related to the environment and other social issues.
