CM Shahbaz Sharif writes letter to Indian Punjab CM
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LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif has reached out to his Indian counterpart and invited him to enter a regional cooperation agreement to tackle the issue of smogand environmental pollution.
In a letter dated November 19, Shehbaz said the people of both Pakistani and Indian Punjabs have been facing the problem of smog during the months of October and November.
"It goes without saying that the smog has an adverse impact on health, especially on the old and the children; on agriculture in the form of delayed sowing of wheat and damage to potato and other crops and causes traffic accidents," said Shehbaz in the letter.
The chief minister went on to explain some of the causes of smog, including rice stubble burning. He added the problem now affects Lahore, New Delhi and regions beyond the two cities.
"You will agree with me that is essentially scientific and economic and cannot be tackled through other means."
Shehbazalso said in the letter that it is in the interest of people from both Punjabs that a collective effort be made towards identifying technologies and business methods that may eliminate the need to burn rice-stubble and help control smog formation.
