LAHORE: Punjab Chief Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar on Sunday distributed cloth bags among the shoppers at the Johar Town Ramazan Bazaar, as a gesture to discourage the use of plastic bags in the province.

He also received complaints from the visitors to the bazaar and ordered the authorities concerned to address these quickly. He was accompanied by Lahore Commissioner Mujtaba Piracha and Deputy Commissioner Ms Saleh Saeed while distributing cloth bags among the shoppers to create awareness about the harmfulness of polythene bags. He appealed to the people to prefer cloth bags and reject plastic bags, according to a handout.

Talking to the media, the chief secretary said the use of polythene bags for shopping must be discouraged as these caused environmental pollution, and were a health hazard. He said a strategy had been prepared to phase out the plastic bags and distribution of cloth bags was a ‘first step’ towards the objective.

He said as per the vision of the prime minister it was a priority of the provincial government to overcome environmental pollution. “We all will have to make collective efforts against pollution and the media can play an important role in creating awareness among people in this regard,” he said.

Mr Khokhar said all government machinery was working day and night to ensure best arrangements for Ramazan bazaars and provincial ministers and administrative officers were regularly visiting these markets to provide relief to the people in the holy month.

He said the demand for lemon, tomato and onion was high due to subsidy in Ramazan bazaars but sufficient supply was being ensured. Similarly, he said, the number of counters selling sugar had been increased due to the high demand.

A proposal to allow sale of up to 2kg of sugar in Ramazan bazaars would be considered in the meeting of the cabinet committee on price control, whereas such facility had already been allowed to the elderly, he concluded.

The DC said the campaign to distribute cloth bags had been launched to discourage the use of plastic bags. The drive was aimed at creating awareness among the citizens about the ill effects of polythene bags which were causing environmental hazards.

The district administration, in collaboration with a private business concern, was distributing 10,000 cloth bags in Ramazan bazaars in the city, she added.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2019