LAHORE: On the World Environment Day on Wednesday, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced enforcement of a province-wide ban on plastic bags, citing environmental pollution concerns.

She said the ban included shopping bags less than 75 microns thick and single-use plastics. She said deputy commissioners would be responsible for enforcement, and violations would result in arrests, fines, and penalties.

She said the Maryam Nawaz government had launched an awareness campaign to educate the public about the dangers of plastic and encourages the use of alternative methods like cloth bags. She said no development project is being approved without allocating one per cent of the budget for environmental requirements and forestation.

E-buses and e-bikes will be introduced, and a plan for effective plastic waste handling and recycling is in the works.

She said environmentally friendly products will be prioritised in government procurements. The Solid Waste Management End-to-End Project and a multi-sectoral anti-smog action plan are also being implemented.

Also, the Transport Vehicles Ordinance would be amended to include vehicle fitness certification, and environmentally friendly agricultural machines are being provided to farmers at a 60 per cent subsidy to prevent the burning of crop residue.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2024