Karachi: The Sindh government implemented the ban on plastic bags across the province from October 1, 2019 (Tuesday), a news source reported. Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister (CM) on Law & Environment Murtaza Wahab marked the implementation of the ban – stating that the Environment Department’s dedicated efforts were now visible to the public.
Two months ago, the provincial government had initiated an awareness campaign against using plastic bags. Now, it has issued a notification that prohibits the manufacture, sale, and use of plastic bags.
After the ban came into effect on Tuesday, the Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Director General (DG) carried out a raid in Jodia Bazaar (market). The officials concerned seized a large number of plastic bags, and sealed some shops.
Wahab lauded the shopkeepers who had given up the use of plastic bags. He appreciated their efforts, as the shopkeepers had put up notices requesting customers to bring personal cloth or paper bags to the shops.
The advisor added that it was everyone’s collective responsibility to protect and beautify the environment. He opined that by not using plastic bags, they can begin to tackle the problem of pollution.
Meanwhile, the Environment Department also conducted a raid to seal a factory burning unused batteries and processing lead in Jamshoro. Wahab revealed that they had also carried out a similar raid in Kemari last week; targeting an iron-making factory that was burning coal, which added to pollution. He added that the authorities concerned would conduct more such raid in various markets during the coming days.
