GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government has decided to make the region a plastic-free zone from next year.

According to a press release on Tuesday, Section 144 would be imposed in the region against use of plastic bags. It said manufacture, import, use, sale and purchase of polythene bags would be banned from Jan 1, 2023.

At a meeting on Monday, Chief Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani directed Home Secretary Iqbal Hussein Khan and the Gilgit commissioner to impose Section 144 from Jan 1.

The Environment Department will ensure that local enterprise was developed to provide eco-friendly cloth and paper bags by providing interest-free loans through Karakoram Cooperative Bank and GB Rural Support programme (GBRSP) for green business development.

The chief secretary also directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to start a social media awareness campaign to sensitise the populace.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2022