MUZAFFARABAD, April 18: Government officials, civil society activists and schoolchildren held a walk here on Wednesday to create awareness among the masses about the hazards of polythene bags, commonly referred to as shopping bags.

The walk, organised by the AJK Environmental Protection Agency (AJK-EPA) in collaboration with a non-governmental organisation, Islamic Relief, began from the press club and concluded at Jalalabad Garden, where a brief ceremony was also held.

Participants including AJK minister for forests Sardar Javaid Ayub, secretary planning and development Farhat Ali Mir, director general AJK-EPA Irshad Ahmed Qureshi, administrator municipal corporation Muzaffarabad Sardar Mubarak Haider were holding a big banner and several placards inscribed with slogans against the use of plastic bags.

“Shopping bag is anti-environment product so its use should be cut down,” read the banner.

Speaking at the ceremony, the minister stressed upon people from all segments of society to join hands to fight environmental pollution that witnessed alarming increase with every passing day.

“We must check ruthless felling of trees to arrest rapid environmental degradation Also, we need to stop using polythene bags which are a cause of major environmental concern,” the minister said.

The P&D secretary said plastic bags were a menace and a serious threat and their use should be completely banned by law in the larger interest of general public.

“People should be aware of this menace. Instead of the bags, they should revert to use of bags made of cloth or recyclable paper,” he stressed.

The civic body head told the gathering that plastic bags were a great nuisance for his sanitary staff too as unlike other rubbish these bags would not decay for a long period of time even when buried in landfill sites.

“These bags often clog our sewerage and drainage system, posing potential threat to the health of the residents with the outbreak of any epidemic,” he said, and asked children to launch a campaign in their homes and schools against its use.