RAWALPINDI: On the directives of the Punjab authorities, the district administration will implement the ban on using plastic baggage, disposable plates, containers and cups utilized by eating places and bakeries from June 5.
Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema on Saturday made it clear that these utilizing plastic baggage, disposable plates, containers and cups for meals would face authorized motion.
Nonetheless, restaurant house owners and bakers mentioned the federal government mustn’t launch such a drive as it will be tough for them to make use of costly paper-made disposable utensils and baggage. A gathering was held on the deputy commissioner workplace wherein all stakeholders, together with producers, recyclers and shoppers, have been current.
An assistant director atmosphere gave a briefing on the enforcement of the Punjab Environmental Safety (Manufacturing and Consumption of Single-Use Plastic Merchandise) Rules 2023 in Rawalpindi.
DC warns violators of motion; eateries’ physique says different needs to be offered earlier than implementing ban
The briefing included a presentation on different supplies to single-use plastics, emphasising the significance of compliance with the brand new laws. The deputy commissioner warned that non-compliance would lead to authorized motion in opposition to violators.
To make sure enforcement, worth management magistrates might be outfitted with plastic bag thickness measuring gauges. Beginning on June 5, plastic baggage with a thickness of lower than 75 microns might be confiscated. Furthermore, he inspired stakeholders to think about extra sustainable options, corresponding to fabric baggage and paper, metal or wood cutlery. This shift will not be solely aimed toward defending the atmosphere but additionally at safeguarding human well being.
Multinational meals chains use high quality merchandise to serve folks and these cups and glass are made out of paper merchandise as a substitute of chemical-based utensils.
“Principally folks have no idea that the meals might get contaminated and change into injurious to well being and the federal government wished to avoid wasting folks from this poison,” he mentioned.
This assembly underscored Rawalpindi’s dedication to environmental safety and sustainable practices, setting a sturdy precedent for the area’s strategy to lowering plastic air pollution.
In the meantime, Eating places, Sweets and Bakers Affiliation Chairman Mumtaz Ahmed demanded that an alternate resolution needs to be offered first earlier than implementing the ban. He mentioned there have been 450,000 models making plastic baggage in Punjab.
“As many as 750,000 staff work in them. A ban is being imposed on such a big trade, however no different resolution has been formally devised,” he mentioned.
“The ban on plastic baggage needs to be utilized not solely in Rawalpindi, however in your complete Punjab with out discrimination. Tax-free factories for ingesting straws needs to be arrange in Pakistan to fabricate straws in accordance with authorities initiatives. To be able to make fabric baggage, the fabric mills ought to use the waste fabric discovered of their mills to make baggage of small and massive sizes,” he mentioned.
He mentioned they totally assist the federal government’s initiative, however the process to implement the ban will not be appropriate.
“There are extra factories in Lahore and Karachi. The Surroundings Division ought to have offered consciousness on its damages, the price of the substitute objects is greater which is able to immediately have an effect on the shoppers,” he mentioned.
Printed in Daybreak, Could twenty sixth, 2024