8,000 CNG buses to be launched in nine cities

[Naveed Yaseen]

LAHORE: 8,000 CNG buses will be introduced in nine cities with a Rs 0.7 million subsidy for each of them in order to improve the present environmental condition, Federal Environment Minister Hamidullah Jan Afridi said during the launching of the inception workshop of national stakeholders on “Management of Mercury and Mercury Containing Waste Project in Pakistan” on Thursday.

The International Cooperation Wing of the Ministry of Environment organised the event in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme’s Chemical Branch based in Geneva. Afridi said the government was fully committed to replacing mercury-based technology with environment-friendly technology in Pakistan, as mercury was a harmful chemical that had adverse impact on human health, particularly on the central nervous system, kidneys and foetus. He said the Ministry of Environment was making tremendous efforts in this regard. The minister said the declaration of 2009 as the ‘National Year of Environment’ and the successful execution of programmes and projects in accordance with a well-planned activity calendar was proof of the government’s commitment.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_29