PHA should maintain all parks, green areas to control pollution: President FCCI

FAISALABAD, Oct 26 (APP):Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA) should be empowered through proper legislation to control the hydra-headed monster of environment pollution by maintaining all parks and green areas in collaboration with the local community, said Dr. Khurram Tariq President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI).
He was addressing a meeting with Director General PHA Mr. Zameer Hussain who visited FCCI along with his team to give a comprehensive presentation about the beautification plan of green belt from silver spoon up to the bridge of Chak No. 204. Senior Vice President Dr. Sajjad Arshad and Shahid Mumtaz Bajwa also attended this meeting.
Dr. Khurram Tariq highlighted a visible shift in FCCI policy to focus on civic problems within a new vigour and zeal.  He said that “we are collaborating with the concerned departments to extend their help in executing and maintaining public welfare projects on a sustained basis. He identified some hitches which are hampering the smooth implementation on the beautification and tree plantation drives”.
He said that the PHA board should finalize regulation for the maintenance of green belts by the concerned commercial identities that are the direct beneficiary of this plan. “Legislation in this regard should also be duly enacted by the provincial government”, he said and added that it would pave the way for the permanent maintenance of the green belts without adding additional financial burden on the PHA.
He said that the business community was ready to play its role in the beautification of different crossings, however, in this connection FCCI and PHA would ink an MOU.
He also assured his full support in making PHA self-reliant so that it could efficiently play its role in making Faisalabad a lush green and pollution free city of the country. He said that FCCI could also help PHA to lease out green areas to the potential parties for the construction of marquee and petrol pump. He requested the Director General to provide a list of crossings and green areas included in the beautification plan so that it could be circulated among the FCCI members and also uploaded on its website. “It would help businessmen to pick their choice of site for beautification purposes”, he added.
Director General Zameer Hussain said that PHA has plans to beautify the green area along canal road. “Approximately one kilometre area is in front of FCCI and it should take its ownership”, he said and added that this area has been divided into the three portions which may be adopted by different organizations. He said that PHA designed beautification plans for each area and FCCI should convince its members to adopt it. He also explained in detail the financial constraints and said that as per law one percent of each public sector project should be transferred to the PHA for its beautification through tree plantation but this law is not followed. Dr. Khurram requested him to provide a copy of notification so that he could take up this issue with CM with a request to implement it in its true sense.