Government imposes ban on plastic bags

Provincial secretary vows to take steps to protect environment

QUETTA: Provincial Secretary Environment Abdul Saboor Kakar has said the ban on polythene (plastic) bags has been enforced in different parts of province. The Supreme Court and High Court have also given clear orders in this regard, he added.

He expressed his views while presiding over a meeting held in the Deputy Commissioner's Quetta office regarding the pollution caused by plastic bags. The meeting also discussed preventive measures in this regard and emphasised the need to spread public awareness.

Deputy Commissioner Quetta Major Retired Aurangzeb Badini, AC (City) Nida Kazmi, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Saqib Kakar, Administrator Metropolitan Tariq Mengal, President Trader Association, representatives of various NGOs and public relations organisations were also present on the occasion.

Secretary Environment said that plastic bags are harmful as they do not decay for several hundred years; it not only destroys the environment but also gives rise to other problems such as drainage, garbage dumps and area deformation, he said.

"In addition to its detrimental effects on human health, it can also be attributed to fatal diseases such as cancer. We have to take concrete steps to protect our environment and the lives of the people and the generations to come," Kakar said.

He further added that shipment of plastic bags from overseas or other provinces will be stopped with the help of customs and FC. "The use of clothing bags and degradable plastic bags instead of throwaway carriers will be ensured," he added.

He urged all stakeholders to unite on one page and work for a healthy environment.

"With NGOs and other institutions playing their key role, the government of Balochistan has been taking this issue seriously and under all circumstances, one million clothing bags will be distributed among the people to replace plastic bags,” he said, adding that a special campaign is also being organised to raise awareness among the people through social media, electronic and print media and other sources.

"Quetta's major shopping malls and departmental stores will soon promote clothing bags and will abandon plastic," Kakar added.

Various NGOs have also presented their services to eliminate plastic bags.

Later, all stakeholders in the meeting agreed to take all steps to eliminate plastic bags in order to secure the environment.

Earlier, Balochistan Minister for Environment, Livestock and Dairy Development Mitha Khan Kakar said the government has devised a three-phase strategy to free the provincial capital from plastic bags under the initiative of Plastic Free Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2020.