Pollution or starvation: Plastic bag manufacturers fight for survival

PBMA says 30 million people will be affected by government ban


Our Correspondent September 08, 2015
Regular plastic bags are not biodegradable. PHOTO: AFP

PESHAWAR:


Polythene bags may be an environmental hazard, but for office-bearers of the Plastic Bags Manufacturing Association (PBMA), they are a source of income.


Therefore, it is hardly surprising that they held a protest to urge the government withdraw its ban on plastic shopping bags.

A large number of PBMA office-bearers gathered outside Peshawar Press Club. They held placards and shouted slogans to press the provincial government to stop taking action against plastic bag manufacturing units.



They termed the ban a deliberate move to force families to starve by depriving them of a living. The demonstrators condemned the government for its “anti-poor decisions”. They said thousands of people work at plastic bag manufacturing units to earn a living.

“The government only takes decisions, but lacks the courage to provide an alternative source of earning,” said Hameed Gul, a plastic bag factory worker. He said if the government is determined to control environmental pollution, it should first implement regulations on industries emitting large amounts of carbon dioxide.

“It should also take action against companies producing different kinds of chemicals as well as the decades-old transport vehicles,” said Sayyed Akbar, another protester.

Haji Ameer Islam, general secretary of the union, said around three million workers are associated with the plastic bag manufacturing industry. “The three million workers in turn feed 30 million individuals. It means the government wants to deprive 30 million people of their livelihood by implementing this decision.” He said the Punjab government is producing electricity by burning plastic bags and even cement factories use them to a similar effect to run heavy machinery.

Akbar said the industrial sector in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is already in a shamble due to terrorism and the government’s policies would add fuel to the fire. He demanded a review of the decision to ban plastic bags or provide workers with an alternative source of income.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th,  2015.

COMMENTS (1)

abdullah | 8 years ago | Reply due to ban thousends of extortionist are jobless, they are feeding million people, it will be unjust to keep ban on them, the extortionist should also organise the sit in in front of provancial assembly for demand to remove the ban on extrotionist
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