KARACHI: The Sindh government has initiated stringent action against manufacturing, sell and use of prohibited plastic bags across the province.

Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput directed the Karachi commissioner to enforce Section 144 of the criminal procedure code against use of prohibited plastic bags.

Chairing a meeting at his office, he directed all deputy commissioners to seal the factories manufacturing such plastic bags.

Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab, Home Secretary Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo, Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Memon, Additional Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Odho and deputy commissioners of all districts of Karachi attended the meeting.

The chief secretary instructed that district administration, police and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation must take action against those who manufacture and sell plastic bags.

He said that a mass media campaign would be carried out to impart awareness to public about the hazards of plastic bags.

Administrator Wahab, who is also provincial government spokesperson and chief minister’s law adviser, informed the meeting that plastic bags were not only causing environmental pollution but they were one of the major reasons of blockage of storm drains in the metropolis.

He said that the Sindh Assembly had passed a bill to ban plastic bags in 2014 and the KMC also passed a resolution for banning the use of plastic bags.

He said that KMC officers were conducting raids at various markets and seizing plastic bags on a daily basis.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2022