LAHORE, May 31: A bill prohibiting the use of rubber and plastic cans for storing food items, which lapsed because of the opposition’s resistance, will now be moved in the next session.

Punjab Assembly sources told this agency on Saturday that the bill, moved by MPA Mrs Maha Raja Tareen, would come up on a Private Members’ Day.

The prohibition of the use of rubber and plastic cans for keeping victuals bill 2003 is of public interest. Its text defines ‘can’ as a container which contains dangerous chemicals or similar harmful substance for industrial or other use.

The object of the bill is to stop the widespread practice of storing food in plastic containers by vendors, as the chemical residue cannot be removed by washing.

After its legislation by the Punjab Assembly, any offender could be liable to imprisonment up to three months or Rs50,000 fine, or both.

The environment protection department will enforce the bill through an environment magistrate or any judicial magistrate, especially the one empowered to do so.

Two other bills will also be moved by Shagufta Anwar in the next session on the Private Members’ Day.

Opposition MPA Samiullah, whose bill also lapsed, had not yet moved a requisition for moving the bill again, the sources said.— APP