Rural uplift linked to urban development

international | environment | news report Monday October 02, 2006 19:21 by Qasim Rajpar - Daily Awami Awaz Karachi

Cities could not prosper unless villages are properly developed, said speakers at a seminar here on Saturday. The seminar on “Environmental problems and our responsibilities” was organized by the Department of Sociology, University of Karachi.

KARACHI, Pakistan: Cities could not prosper unless villages are properly developed, said speakers at a seminar here on Saturday. The seminar on “Environmental problems and our responsibilities” was organized by the Department of Sociology, University of Karachi.

Sindh Environment Secretary Iqbal Awan in his speech underscored the need for a positive approach towards a healthy environment.

Countries with prosperous rural areas can have prosperous cities, while decayed villages can make cities poor, he added.

Mr Awan said that we had to change our thinking and behavior to acquire a healthy environment as without solving primary issues we could not solve problems regarding environment.

He was of the opinion that as long as people would not become the axis of power they could neither attain capability to resolve their problems nor they could develop a better environment. Quoting example of unhygienic transportation of meat and other commodities, he deplored that people remained deliberately quiet on these issues.

He noted that citizens in developed parts of the world had their political weight and owing to that, the policymakers respected their sentiments while in our society a common man did not even have potable water for drinking.

Mr Awan said that in our country basic health facilities were not available to masses. Giving example of Hyderabad and Latifabad, he said sewerage system had become obsolete and polluted water was poisoning canals.

He said that most of the environmental problems were created by rich and developed countries. He said that even today the members of the Security Council of the United Nations were the top sellers of weapons. Mr Awan said that three richest persons of USA had money worth assets of 47 nations.

He said that the American people utilize 12 per cent of the global natural resources and they were at the top rank regarding polluting environment.

Giving viable suggestions to resolve these problems, he said the access to quality education must be prioritized while second priority must be given to inexpensive justice and third to developing prosperous villages to build a prosperous society.

Dr Fateh Mohammad Burfat, chairman of sociology department, felt environment was a collective problem and students of varsities could play an important role in establishing better environment.

“It needs of the hour that higher educational institutions and government departments carry out joint efforts to solve this serious issue”, he added.

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