KARACHI, March 27: The city government on Tuesday launched a crackdown against the manufacturers, sellers and users of polythene bags in the metropolis and arrested the owner of a medical store in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Town.

The Sindh Home Department, with the approval of Sindh High Court, has given magisterial powers to 18 officials of the Revenue Department of the city government to conduct raid, arrest and fine the violators of the ban on the manufacture, sale and use of polythene bags in the metropolis.

Additional EDO (Revenue) Ghulam Hussain Memon told Dawn that a team of city government raided Time Medicos situated near National Stadium after receiving several complaints regarding violation of the ban by this establishment on polythene bags.

He said the team arrested the shop’s owner and handed him over to Sharea Faisal police station.

City Nazim Mustafa Kamal has imposed a ban on the manufacture, sale and use of polythene bags in the city under Section 144 and violators face three months imprisonment with a fine up to Rs50,000 or both.

He said that the Sindh government has given special magisterial powers to the city government officials for effective implementation on The Sindh Prohibition of Manufacturing, Sale and Use of Polythene Bags-2006 Act.