From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: In order to safeguard the environment, the Sindh government has decided to enforce a comprehensive ban on the production, sale, and use of plastic bags throughout the province, including Karachi.
According to the Sindh Environment Department, the government has decided to slap ban on plastic bag usage after a formal approval from the provincial cabinet on April 15. The department further stated that any violation of the polythene bag ban will be punishable by law. Offenders will face legal action, including prosecution, arrest, and penalties.
Highlighting the environmental impact, the department noted that plastic bags are a major contributor to environmental pollution. They not only cause significant marine pollution but are also responsible for blockages in sewage systems.
Earlier, Chairperson, Senate Standing on Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman on World Plastic Bag Free Day said that the country was consuming 55 billion plastic bags annually at an expected increase by 15 per cent in its usage every year.
The Chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change Senator in her message urged the nation to review the environmental impact of polythene bags and its indiscriminate use in Pakistan.
Senator Rehman said Pakistan is facing a serious problem of pollution as single-use bags caused water stagnation, littering and damage to human, aquatic and wildlife.
“Polythene bags take hundreds of years to decompose and their accumulation poses serious risks to the environment and health. All our small and big cities face major challenges in waste management,” she said.
