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Business discuss polythene bag issue with commissioner

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Shafiq-ur-Rehman Peracha, Commissioner of Karachi, has said that the provincial government has decided, in principle to ban manufacturing and use of polyethylene bags but no time-frame has been devised for the implementation of the decision.

Speaking at a meeting of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), he recalled a meeting with KCCI, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) and Facilitation Board, in which the matter of ban on manufacture and use of polyethylene bags was discussed and said that in this meeting the business community had supported the idea of imposing ban.

He said that the decision was made at higher level and added that he came here to discuss the issue and take business suggestion for implementation of decision and giving time-frame.

He agreed with a suggestion that plants for re-cycling of polyethylene bags should be installed in the city to reuse the waste, generate employment and produce new goods.

He said that a committee should be formed comprising representatives of business community and government to discuss the issue and devise ways and means to resolve the issue amicably.

Peracha said that polyethylene bags were the biggest problem of the city creating environmental hazard. In every five minutes about 25,000 to 30,000 bags were added to the garbage.

He said cleanliness of the city was the responsibility of each and every citizen. He said: "each morning about 1000 car owners purchase pan from PIDC pan shop and throw away pan wrapper on road. They are well educated and belongs to elite class. It is the responsibility of every one to dispose of garbage properly and not to increase the workload of sweepers". "If keeping city clean is considered only the responsibility of sweepers than it is a matter of concern".

He said that it has been decided to observe year 2000 as year for cleanliness and to make Karachi green.

He said that the government was in no way interested in closing down the polyethylene bags units or to create un-employment. It was interested in settling the issue of polyethylene bags waste which created environmental hazard.

He said it was also under consideration to start proper disposal of polyethylene bags and on every bag instructions should be given in writing for the disposal of bag just like every cigarette case carried slogan that cigarette was dangerous for health.

Welcoming the guests, Amjad Rafi, President, KCCI, said that the use of polyethylene bags was far less in Pakistan than in developed countries. According to an estimate, in Pakistan the per capita consumption of polyethylene was less than 250 grams (0.25 KG), whereas in Europe, USA, and far east, the consumption was between 10 kg to 30 kg per capita. Inspite of this the use of polyethylene in those countries was not banned.

He said that the role of civic agencies had to be strengthened in Pakistan also to check the major cause of environmental pollution, through effective and timely sanitation and cleanliness.

He said investment in machinery, equipment, infrastructure facilities and manpower development associated with polyethylene bags producing industry was estimated now at Rs 11 billion. The amount which was invested in imported raw material, custom duty and taxes paid on them, warehousing, transport and other allied products, was around Rs 12 billion. The industry which paid at least Rs 6.5 billion per annum against various taxes to federal and provincial exchequers, would receive a serious set-back because of this ban.