CM calls for expanding plantation drive across the province. PHOTO: EXPRESS
He told a meeting that steps should also be taken to retrieve the occupied land of other provincial departments.
“Every inch of state land will be recovered from the mafia. Action will be taken against land grabbers without any discrimination.” He ordered that a strategy be devised to curb timber theft across the province.
The chief minister directed the Forest Department to conduct a geographic information system (GIS) mapping of it lands. He said trees should be planted in on the land retrieved during the crackdown.
“Plantation will help tackle environmental pollution, besides beautifying the area,” Sharif said.
He favoured expanding the plantation campaign across the province, and said a strategy should be devised to protect the saplings.
Sharif constituted a committee under the chief secretary that would submit its proposals regarding plantation in two weeks.
Earlier, the Forests Department secretary briefed the meeting about steps taken to retrieve the occupied land. Acting Punjab Assembly Speaker Sher Ali Gorchani, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Forests Minister Muhammad Asif Malik, Parliamentary Secretary for Forests Mian Fida Hussain, MPA Rana Sanaullah, the chief secretary, the IGP and the Board of Revenue senior member attended the meeting.
Healthcare
Sharif said the government was spending billions of rupees on the provision of quality public health facilities to people.
He was addressing a meeting through video link at Civil Secretariat. He said all available resources would be utilised to provide modern healthcare services.
The chief minister approved a plan to raise the number of mobile health units in the province. He directed the Health Department to arrange modern mobile health units for the purpose.
The meeting decided that medical facilities available at the units would also be improved.
“These units are extending quality healthcare facilities to people in far-flung areas; therefore there number should be raised,” he said.
Sharif said a third-party audit was necessary to evaluate the performance of these units. “More medicines and services will be made available at the units,” he said.
The chief minister called for introducing a system to monitor the units’ performance. He said proper arrangements should be made to take patients from remote villages to mobile health units or city hospitals.
Earlier, the health secretary briefed Sharif on the working of these units. Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khwaja Salman Rafiq, the chief secretary, MPAs Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Qazi Adnan Farid and Amanat Ali Khan Shadikhel attended the meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2015.
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