LAHORE, July 8: District Nazim Amer Mahmood said on Monday the city government would recruit 6,000 more sanitary workers and try to persuade foreign investors to build effluent treatment plants in the industrial areas of the provincial metropolis on build- own-transfer basis.

Briefing the Environment Protection Department secretary Brig Riaz Bashir (retired) here, the Nazim said protection of the underground water from pollution was the top

priority of his city government, which he said, was making all possible efforts to enforce environment protection laws.

He said the city government would issue a no-objection certificate to only those industrial projects which had the provision for the effluent treatment. The existing industries, he said, were being asked to install effluent treatment plants.

He said a number of proposals for installation of CNG kits in rickshaws were under consideration.

He also said 6,000 sanitary workers would be recruited shortly to improve sanitation arrangements in the provincial metropolis.

The district Nazim also sanctioned six new petrol pumps in various parts of the city.