The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed the resolution demanding the facility of toilets for public as it said that 17 percent of population of the province does not have the facility in Punjab. “The districts of Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan are top of the list where over 40 percent population doesn’t have the facility of toilets,” said the resolution that was passed during the Private-Member day. “This House demands from the government to take immediate steps to provide the facility for the people of the whole province especially in the rural areas,” the resolution claimed. While giving his response over the resolution that was tabled by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) lawmakers in private capacity, Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raja Basharat said that there are over 25,000 villages in the province and the government is trying hard to provide the facility in the whole province including the villages. He was of the opinion that people should also work voluntarily to improve the situation on their own as better system of toilets also decreases the diseases significantly. Another resolution tabled by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of Provincial Assembly Hina Pervaiz Butt regarding the awareness of smog was also passed that she moved in her private capacity. “This House thinks that immediate steps should be taken for avoiding smog and an awareness campaign should also be launched in this regard,” she said in the resolution. Commenting over the resolution, Forestry & Wildlife Minister Sibtain Khan said that the government is already taking steps to avoid smog as vehicles causing pollution are being fined while stern action against brick kilns emanating smoke is also being taken by the department. He was of the opinion that smog committees are functional at district and tehsil levels in the province in order to run awareness regarding smog. The minister blamed PML-N for this issue as he said that we are facing the issue of smog due to wrong policies of last 10 years as previous governments didn’t do anything to control the smog. Taking a jibe at the minister, a PML-N MPA said on the occasion that smog has only been here for the last three years so how can a minister blame the last 10 years on PML-N’s government. “Our Air Quality Index is at 183 these days that is quite satisfactory as the situation is under control until 300 points,” the minister said while adding that the air monitoring equipment has been installed in Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan. He further added that the last government has changed the forest area into concrete as we are left with only three percent forest area in the province contrary to the actual requirement of 25 percent. “The sharp decline in our forest area is affecting our wildlife also but the government is taking steps to improve the situation and the smog will be eliminated from the province next year,” the minister said in the House. Meanwhile, speaking on a point of order, PML-N MPA Waris Shad demanded the formation of a medical board for his president Shehbaz Sharif on urgent basis who is in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau these days. The session started with a delay of more than an hour from its scheduled time with Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari in the chair. Answers related to live stock and dairy development as well as irrigation and agriculture departments were also given during the Q&A session. The session was later adjourned for today (Wednesday). Published in Daily Times, December 5th 2018.