LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure ban on the use of polythene bags by tuck shops and restaurants on motorways.

Justice Shahid Karim was hearing a public interest petition moved by a citizen Haroon Farooq on different environmental issues.

Petitioner’s counsel Abuzar Salman Niazi told the bench that the court banned the use of polythene bags in the entire province. However, he said, the restaurants and tuck shops at motorways had not complied with the ban and openly using the plastic bags.

He asked the court to order the government to also ensure the ban on motorways.

The judge directed the EPA to strictly enforce the ban on all malls, restaurants and outlets operational on motorways and submit a compliance report within a week.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2020