Islamabad
Pakistan is facing a multitude of social and environmental issues of gigantic magnitudes and complex dimensions. However, many of these are linked with citizens’ routine behaviours and their attitude towards society, the places they inhabit and the natural environment.
This was stated by Syed Kausar Abbas, Programme Manager Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CDPI), and Almas Saleem, National Coordinator of Shehrsaaz, a social organisation while talking to newsmen here on Monday.
Almas Saleem and Kausar Abbas believed that these issues could be addressed to considerable extent by making citizens slightly modify their daily habits and routines, through awareness, sensitisation and offering alternatives.
In this context he said that Shehersaaz has launched, solely relying on public support, a national campaign, ‘Ain Amal’, with a slogan, ‘small positive acts when multiplied millions of people, can transform the world’. ‘Ain Amal’ is all about promoting these small acts.
In its first phase, the campaign is focused on reducing the use of plastic shopping bags in Rawalpindi and Islamabad by replacing them with environment friendly cotton bags.
They said that the campaign was formally launched in Rawalpindi in collaboration with City District Government, Rawalpindi (CDGR), on the eve of National Disaster Management Day 2013. The main feature of the campaign will be the distribution of cotton bags among the members. These members have shown their commitment to reduce/abandon the use of plastic bags to contribute in improving the environment of
the twin cities. Shehersaaz and CDGR are inviting all segment of society including school children, university
students and representatives from NGOs, INGOs and UN agencies, government officials, specially working on children, environment and disaster issues.
In connection with National Disaster Management Day which is observed every year on 8 October; the theme of the ceremony is set as Plastic shopping bags contribute to urban flooding and to address this issue the use
of plastic shopping bags must be reduced.
The News