KARACHI: The University of Karachi is the first university in the whole province which has completely ban the use of plastic bags in the campus. It was also among those few who have welcomed the decision of Sindh government to put ban on the use of plastic bags by implementing provincial government’s initiative.
By reducing the use of plastic bags and growing trees in large numbers we can play a very vital role in minimizing the environmental hazards. The government cannot bring changes alone, it always needed public support to successfully run and implement its drive. These views were expressed by advisor to the provincial chief minister on law, environment and coastal development, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, on Wednesday.
He was addressing as the chief guest at a seminar ‘Environmental Awareness and Plantation Drive 2019’ held at the Karachi University Business Administration’s Auditorium. The seminar was organized to create awareness regarding Karachi’s environmental issues and what would be role of masses to make environment clean and green.
Barrister Murtaza Wahab shared that during recent heavy rainfall he had witnessed that sewerage lines were unable to clear the rainwater as most of them were filled with pile of plastic bags and solid waste material due to which whole drainage system was chocked.
“Public after using plastic bags carelessly throw it away and later it become problem for the governments and other concerned departments and agencies. We have to create awareness among masses that they should not use plastic bags anymore and put their garbage in the dumping centers.”
He mentioned that provincial and federal governments work on legislation and after debating every aspect of proposed law pass it to implement for the betterment of the society. However, he said that we also have to create awareness regarding the laws so that it could be executed in letter and spirit.
He said that laws are passed to facilitate public and people should also put it into practice otherwise society would not get any benefit from such laws. “If, we plant a tree today, it will benefit our children in future. We shouldn’t be happy after sapling a plant only we also have to take good care of the plant until it grown up completely.”
Murtaza Wahab urged that every citizen should take part in plantation drive and said that Sindh government would provide whatever it need to sapling a tree. Meanwhile, the KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi, said that Karachi is facing many environmental issues, severely affecting its biophysical environment as well as human health.