ISLAMABAD: The Minister for Science and Technology is planning to introduce environment-friendly motorcycles and rickshaws, which will run on rechargeable batteries, in the country.

During a visit to the Pak­istan Council for Renewable Energy and Technologies on Saturday, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry rode a battery-operated motorcycle and a rickshaw. The electronic vehicles, according to the minister, would help conserve energy and protect the environment.

Mr Chaudhry said that the battery-operated vehicles, which were the future of transport, would revolutionise transportation in Pakistan that was one of the largest users of motorcycles and rickshaws.

He elaborated on the aim of the government to convert the transport into electronic technology ultimately reducing dependency on petroleum.

“Use of electronic vehicles will reduce carbon emissions in the environment,” the minister said.

Mr Chaudhry also announced the launch of a bottled water brand produced by his ministry that would initially be supplied to government offices.

According to the minister, the bottled water called Safe Drinking Water would be a cheaper alternative to other mineral water brands in the market.

Earlier in July, the Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) told a parliamentary committee that all bottled water companies operating in Pakistan were selling “artificial” water instead of natural water.

The PCRWR, a lead research organisation working under the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that other countries did not allow bottled water companies to sell “artificial” water to its people.

With the experiment of introducing cheaper and safer drinking water, Mr Chaudhry expected that soon his ministry would launch a project that would resolve the issue of potable water in the country.

He said that the introduction of cheaper bottled water was in line with the government’s austerity drive.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2019