LAHORE Like other parts of the globe, World Environment Day will be observed across the country including the City on Sunday with the purpose to create public awareness about sustainable use of natural resources and protection of environment. The WED theme this year is Forest: Nature at your service. Both at the government and private level, conferences, seminars and walks will be organised across the country including the City to mark the event. In Lahore, the Environment Protection Department will organise a seminar at Alhamra Arts Council. Secretary Environment Punjab Sajjad Saleem Hotiana will be the chief guest. EPA Director General Dr Shagufta Shahjahan, Dr Aleem Chaudhary, Shahid Awan, Prof. Ghazala Naseem and Gulzar Beghum Butt will give presentations on WED theme of forest. Students from different universities like Punjab University, UET, Kinnaird College, Lahore College for Women University and people from various walks of life will attend the seminar. Lahore Waste Management Company will carryout special desilting operation at Gulshan-e-Ravi drain on the WED. After completing the desilting operation, LWMC officers, officials and people from various walks of life will participate in a walk along the drain to create public awareness about environmental issues. City District Government Environment Department has displayed over 300 banners and steamers inscribed with writings about hazards of pollutions and benefits of clean environment at major City roads and crossings. CDG Environment Department has also launched a special campaign against illegal recycling of hospital waste, melting animal fat and use of polluting fuel in industries. Special teams on Saturday sealed one factory at Bund Road and five pathological labs near Mayo Hospital for recycling and selling clinical waste. The teams also sealed three premises near Bakkar Mandi for melting animal fat for its use as banaspati ghee. Leading lawyer on environmental issues Sardar Aasif Ali Sial has said that Pakistan was second in slaughtering forests on the globe and there was urgent need of reducing the menace of tree cutting. Addressing a press conference here at Press Club on Saturday, he said that forests were natural air conditioners and the country was rapidly losing important asset. He stressed upon media to play its due role in highlighting environmental issues.