LAHORE: Due to delay in amending the legislation regarding polythene bags, the sale of prohibited bags continues in the largest province of the country—Punjab, Pakistan Today has observed.
In Pakistan, the plastic bags became popular in 1980. This industry flourished due to the cheapness of technology that people installed in homes to make the polythene bags. But soon, the material related to polythene started showing its aftermaths. Over increasing concerns, in 1993, the Cabinet Division banned plastic bags but violations remained at full swing.
According to a study, the manufacturing of polythene bags had projected at more than 110 billion a year by 2015 where more than one million people were involved directly or indirectly with this business. While at that time around, about 10,000 polythene bag units were working across the country.
Polythene bags end up as litter that fouls the landscape and kill thousands of marine mammals every year that mistake the floating bags for food. They choke drainage system and can cause floods during the rainy season. Furthermore, the production of plastic bags consumes millions of gallons of oil that could be used for fuel and heating.
The Lahore High Court in 2008 had ordered the Punjab government to pose ban on the use of plastic bags after a petition was filed on environmental basis. The petition claimed that the polythene bags continued to cause environmental degradation because they could neither be destroyed nor recycled.
In 2013, the federal government posed a ban on the use of any non-biodegradable plastic bags. Later on, the Sindh government also posed a ban on plastic bags in Karachi, while last year, the KPK government also amended its rules regarding the sale of prohibited bags.
A reliable source in Punjab government revealed that the major reason for a delay in amending the rules was the plastic bags mafia who wants no disruption in its business.
A senior official seeking anonymity told Pakistan Today, that the Punjab government was the first in introducing the law regarding polythene bags and its subsequent reluctance to take the issue seriously is surprising. “We are deeply studying the effective ways of adopting or amending the legislation”. He said increasing the thickness of plastic bags is a viable option. “Countries like China and India have increased the thickness of plastic bags up to 50 microns.” He further said that the other possible option is to promulgate oxo-biodegradable plastic bags.
He further said that the Punjab government, very soon, is going to regulate new ordinance in the province.