LAHORE, Dec 5: The World Bank has offered assistance to the Punjab government regarding the beautification of Lahore and making it a model city.

This was stated by Punjab Environment Minister Makhdoom Ashfaq Ahmad while talking to a delegation of industrialists here on Sunday. He said the government would accept the offer after assessing its pros and cons.

He said Lahore was one of the beautiful cities in Pakistan, but it was facing the problem of environment pollution which was needed to be checked with effective planning. He said public awareness about healthy living was needed to be created besides introducing effective laws for the protection of environment.

The minister said the level of environment pollution was increasing in big cities due to the presence industrial units in residential colonies and the traffic load.

He said industrialists must install water treatment plants in industrial estates so as to prevent pollution of soil and water.