Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Chinese Consul General Zhao Shiren agreed on Monday to promote cooperation for installing air purification towers to reduce smog in Lahore and other cities.
The Chinese diplomat called on the chief minister and discussed issues of mutual interest, including increasing cooperation in various fields, especially controlling smog.
Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi noted during the meeting that smog had become a global problem and the government wanted to use Chinese technology to overcome it in Punjab, especially in Lahore.
Chinese technology will be beneficial for installing air purification towers in Lahore and other cities.
The towers will be installed near the border and industrial areas, the chief minister said, adding that they would also be used for early flood warning and other purposes. The chief minister pointed out that the Punjab government had imposed an environmental emergency to curb smog.
The Chinese consul general announced a scholarship of Rs6 million for the students of Punjab this year and presented a Rs30 million cheque for flood relief. The chief minister thanked the Chinese government and the consul general for the financial support for the flood victims.
He said the provincial government was resettling the flood victims with its resources.
He also announced that the provincial government would extend every possible cooperation setting up a new Chinese consulate.
The consul general thanked CM Pervaiz Elahi for the assurance of support regarding the new consulate and said the Chinese scholarship for students from Punjab would be enhanced next year.
Punjab has a very favourable environment for investment and Chinese companies want to invest in the province, he said and added that all possible measures would continue to increase cooperation in various fields.
The consul general also invited Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi to visit the Chinese consulate and embassy.
The Chief of the Political Section of the Chinese Consulate General, Yan Yang, Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal, Senior Member of Board of Revenue Zahid Akhtar Zaman, former principal secretary GM Sikandar, former president of Bank of Punjab Hamesh Khan, Environment Secretary Zeeshan Zakaria and other officials were also present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi ordered the reduction of his protocol and security, directing the officials concerned not to stop traffic during his movement.
Presiding over a meeting on security issues, he said traffic flow should be maintained except at the signals and the stoppage at a place should not have more than one per cent impact.
The CM asserted that stopping the traffic should be avoided keeping in mind the convenience of the people. Stopping the traffic caused inconvenience to the people, he stressed.
The chief minister said the foreign teams and players would be provided security in accordance with the ‘Blue Book’ and the traffic police would be equipped with body cams.
Healthy lifestyle
In a message on the World Diabetes Day, Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said the ailment was increasing due to an unhealthy lifestyle.
He noted that timely diagnosis of diabetes was important as the patient could succumb to other diseases in case of slackness. “A simple lifestyle helps avoid diabetes and prevention is better than cure, so patients need to take preventive measures along with treatment,” he said.
The CM termed it important to change the lifestyle to prevent and control diabetes and added that awareness campaigns for timely diagnosis and treatment would bring positive results.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2022..
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