Bahawalpur: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar has declared Bahawalpur as a tourist/green city, a news source reported. Divisional Commissioner (DC) Nayyar Iqbal has been appointed as the secretary of a seven-member steering committee, which will prepare a feasibility report for this project. Iqbal revealed that the Punjab government has issued a notice in this regard, pursuing the CM’s decision taken during the first meeting of the provincial cabinet in December last year.
Chairman Habib Gilani will head the steering committee as the convener of the provincial planning & development board. Secretaries of the departments of sports, youth affairs, tourism, archaeology, forest, environment, and services & general administration will be the members of the committee. Also, Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) managing director is included in the members.
The commissioner has revealed that the sports, youth affairs, and tourism departments have prepared a pre-feasibility/concept paper of the project. He said that it includes proposals for the maintenance of existing heritage sites Darbar Mahal, Gulzar Mahal, and Nur Mahal. He revealed that the proposals suggest their opening for general public.
According to details revealed by DC Iqbal, the concept paper also includes proposals for the following projects:
Completion of construction of the main hall of Bahawalpur Museum
Desert tourism safari and camping facilities for tourists at Lal Sohanra Park, Uch Sharif, Derawar Fort, Panjnad Headworks, and annual Channan Pir Festival
Completion of the under-construction exhibition centre/digital library at Sadiq Reading Library of the late nawab
It is reported that the paper also sheds light on reducing vehicular pollution in the city. It suggests the conversion of public transport to CNG and biodiesel, introduction of electric-powered rickshaws, setting up dedicated industrial zones, controlling emissions from industrial units, and promoting of green energy to reduce industrial pollution. It also recommends using water retention ponds and recycling wastewater to reduce water pollution, efficiently disposing municipal and hospital solid waste, planning extensive plantation in parks and canal banks to strengthen urban forestry, and launching a public awareness campaign for successful implementation of the plan.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has released PKR 500 million for the district development package. Some of these funds are for the development schemes on highways. The departments concerned have begun construction after inviting tenders upon the release of the funds.
