<p>Order of the National Green Tribunal (Central Zonal Bench, Bhopal) in the matter of Suo Moto Action on News paper article published in "Dainik Bhaskar Daily on 16.02.2024 regarding illegal Mining
The Sindh government has prepared a comprehensive programme worth Rs1,300 million envisaging 13 development schemes to upgrade the fisheries sector and for the welfare of fishermen. The uplift schemes will be in addition to the federally financed master plan for the development of aquaculture in the coastal areas and the community development project prepared by the Coastal Development Authority through the technical assistance of the Asian Development Bank.
The ad hoc coastal development projects, which have been conceived and proposed in total disregard to environmental concerns, pose a serious threat to marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of 500,000 fishermen, besides putting human life at risk. The Sindh-Balochistan coast is very much vulnerable to cyclones and floods and implementation of such projects, without proper scrutiny by independent experts, is like inviting disaster.
: Sindh Minister for Works and Services Manzoor Hussain Wassan has said that more than 20,000 acres of government land in Nara taluka was distributed illegally to different people by the previous government during the past seven years. He said the government would initiate an inquiry into the matter and action would be taken against those found involved in such acts. He was speaking at an open katchehry and talking to journalists at circuit house here on Monday.
Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed wants the health department and international health organisations to take polio eradication campaigns more seriously and come up with viable plans to improve the situation in Sindh, where 10 confirmed cases of polio have been reported in first half of the year.
A food company has been "requested' by the Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) to halt work on a proposed dairy farm, since it is located in a protected area where such activities are strictly restricted and require a specialised assessment on environmental impact, Dawn has learnt.
The district coordination officers (DCOs) and executive district officers (EDOs) of the health department may face the axe for showing slackness in the upcoming sub-national three-day polio immunisation campaign beginning on Tuesday.
Presently weather situation across the country has given the sign of 'Happy Monsoon', especially for the areas where the sowing of crops had started or was about to start. It is expected that the early monsoon, which approached different parts of the country, would create positive impact on the agriculture sector. Director Forecasting, National Weather Forecasting Centre Akram Anjum told that normal monsoon rains would occur this summer across the country. However, above normal rains would occur in eastern parts of the country, including Southern Punjab and Sindh.
Livestock population in the province is increasing at a rate 2.3 percent to 2.7 percent annually, said Director, Sindh Animal Husbandry, Dr Ghulam Sarwar Shaikh. Talking to journalists here on Thursday, he attributed the growth to better disease control measures, improved veterinary services, training of farmers and increase in outreach services. To substantiate his claim, Dr Shaikh also shared the details of live stock census, carried-out after every ten years by Agriculture Census Organisation.
- International experts, invited to Pakistan by the Federal Health Ministry for technical review and guidance in the wake of number of polio cases reported in Sindh province, has stressed urgent measures and have held the district leadership as the key to give polio eradication drive a shot in the arm with a view to finally ridding the country of the disease that causes permanent irreversible disability among children.
: As a part of the ongoing polio virus control and environmental surveillance activities, the Sindh health department is considering a proposal to test sewage specimens to be collected from various parts of Karachi and others parts of Sindh. The samples are proposed to be examined in collaboration with certain national and international organizations to see if polio viruses were present. Sources in the health department said that the proposal was discussed at a meeting of senior representatives of international health organizations and the Sindh health department held here on Monday.
