KARACHI, June 27: Sindh Chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman has said that the government is taking all out measures for protection of environment. Speaking as chief guest at the inauguration of a two-day seminar on Indus delta mangrove system organised by the provincial department of forests and wildlife and the federal environment department on Tuesday, he said far reaching steps for protection of forests were inevitable.

He said an effective and coordinated strategy was being adopted for protection of wetlands and mangrove forests in the coastal areas of Karachi, Thatta and Badin.

The chief secretary emphasised that for protection of forests all the departments would have to accept the challenge of performing services with a sense of responsibility.

He said supremacy of the law would be ensured at all costs so that elements responsible for cutting trees and spoiling the environment were discouraged.

He said combined effluent treatment plants were being installed in SITE, Landhi-Korangi, Federal B. Area and North Karachi industrial areas to ensure safe disposal of industrial waste and save marine life.

He said organisations working for protection of environment, including the Worldwide Fund and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, should be more active and the provincial government would extend all out cooperation in this regard.—APP