KARACHI: Ban on light plastic bags soon, says Kamal
KARACHI, May 9: City Nazim Mustafa Kamal has said that the government will impose a ban on the manufacture and use of light plastic bags in the province and introduce heavier plastic bags to control chocking of sewerage lines and environmental pollution.
Addressing as the chief guest to the opening ceremony of the 3rd International Food, Equipment and Technology Exhibition and 3rd International Plastic, Printing and Packaging Exhibition at Karachi Expo Centre on Tuesday, he said that Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad would soon issue an ordinance, placing a ban on the manufacture and use of light plastic bags in the province.
The nazim said that light plastic bags had played havoc with the sewerage lines and they could completely block the sewerage system in the metropolis. At the same time, these plastic bags created environmental hazards. The heavier plastic bags would neither be flying in the air and nor would chock sewerage system, he observed.
About the exhibition, he said that he was astonished to see the machinery and technology on display and said that local manufacturers must use them. He pointed out that the government would start a model project at new Sabzi Mandi to encourage packaging of fruits and vegetables. “We will educate them packaging technology to our fruit and vegetable dealers and exporters,” he added.
Mustafa Kamal noted that Pakistani products were lacking proper packaging and marketing. “We have good quality products, but we lack in packaging and marketing. If we can improve this side, we can boost our exports,” he added. He said that utilisation of packaging and processing technology would add value to Pakistani products. He hoped that this exhibition would help local companies to get the latest technology at their doorstep.
To provide more facilities to local and foreign traders, investors and exhibitors, two five-star hotels would be built in the vicinity of the Expo Centre, besides the road from the airport to the Expo Centre would be made signal-free, he said.
He said that the city government was changing the face of Karachi by building roads, flyovers and underpasses. He said that elevated roads and signal-free corridors were being set up. He said that water and sewerage issues of the city were also being resolved. He said that the target of the city government was to make Karachi amongst the best cities of the world.
He said that the government was playing a role of facilitator to boost trade, industry and investment activities. He said that the city government in this regard was trying its best to revamp infrastructure of both residential and industrial areas of Karachi.
Mr Kamal said that said that various uplift projects costing Rs20 billion were planned for the city and work on many of them had already been started. He said that groundbreaking of elevated corridor from Tower to Quaidabad would be held in August this year. He said that the Malaysian firm IGM had established its office in Karachi and started initial work on the project that included preparation of pre-feasibility study.
About loadshedding, he said that city government would provide the KESC Rs20 million to replace old power line. He said that this gesture was aimed at providing relief to citizens.
On transport issue, he said that 8,000 new CNG buses would be brought into the city in the next four years. In this regard, the first CNG bus would reach Karachi by December this year, he added.
Pakistan Plastic Manufactures Association President Zafar Saeed said that the plastic sector fully enjoyed patronage of the government. He said that the plastic sector was also enjoying lowest rate of import duty on machinery, moulds and plastic raw material. “Now we have a golden opportunity to modernise our existing equipment with the latest technology available in international market to reduce production cost and strongly enter the export market,” he added.
He said that Pakistan was an agricultural country, but it lacked modern agro-based technologies. He said that the Pakistan was fifth largest milk producing country of the world, but its own citizens had to buy milk on neck-breaking prices. He said that present methods of milk packaging cost Rs5 per packaging of a litre of milk. He said that by use of plastic technology the cost of packaging milk would not be more than Rs0.60 per litre and it would make huge difference for consumers. He said that besides milk, other perishable commodities could be packed by using plastic foil sheets.
Earlier, Aasim Siddiqui, organizer of the exhibition, said that more than 200 exhibitors from 19 countries were showcasing their machinery and technology in packaging. —APP
