KARACHI, Oct 27: The Sindh governor’s ordinance banning manufacture, sale and use of polythene bags below 30 micron thickness has failed to produce the desired results except that the use of black polythene bags had almost been abandoned.

The order, promulgated on June 12 to be effective with immediate effects, prohibits the manufacture, sales and use of black polythene bags, including its other bags below 30 micron thickness in the province.

Under the ordinance any person, who contravene the provision of any section shall be punished with imprisonment for term which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to Rs50,000 or both.

Polythene bags not only cause pollution but when they make their way into the manholes results in blocked drains and cause gutters to over flow. Although the government was trying to effectively check the use of polythene bags since early 1992 but so far failed to get the desired results as the manufacturers took the cover of rendering hundreds of people jobless associated with the business.

However, an analyst pointed out that prior to the introduction of polythene bags, paper and cloth bags were in use and thousands of people were associated with these industries and said that as usual, the order of banning use of polythene bags had become ineffective due to vested interests of those who were responsible for its enforcement.

The NGOs working for environment had in the past also arranged walks for creating awareness among people a number of times. But as the ordinance was not so far laid before the Sindh Assembly to make it a law, the ordinance appeared to have lapsed its validity after three months, PPP MPA Rafique Engineer pointed out and said that since its promulgation a number of sessions had been summoned but no legislation work was taken up.

In reply to another question he said that the agenda of recently summoned session on Nov 3 was yet to be delivered to them as such he was not in a position whether the anti-polythene bags ordinance was being laid or not.