LAHORE, May 30: Punjab Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed has said the government is seriously considering to ban the advertisement of cigarettes in print and electronic media.

Talking to a delegation of World Health Organization representatives comprising Dr M Z Ali Khan and K Hosh-Chashm besides Punjab Environment Minister Makhdoom Ashfaq Ahmad here on Friday, he said the government had already banned the sale of cigarettes to the children under 18 years of age.

Dr Tahir said the Punjab government had evolved a strategy to improve environment through community-based initiatives and capacity-building activities at local level. It was also adopting measures to enforce laws to control environmental pollution and ensure basic sanitation.

He said the government would also launch a public awareness campaign to apprise the people about the ill effects of environmental pollution.

He said population explosion was the main of cause of environmental pollution in Pakistan.

Dr Tahir said the people in Punjab were facing difficulties in getting potable water as subsoil water level has gone down from 70 feet to 400 feet.

He said the government was also installing incinerators for the disposal of hospital waste.

Regarding the provision of modern health facilities in rural areas, he said the Punjab health department had planned to upgrade 37 THQ hospitals and send medical students there for fellowships.