Speaking at the launching ceremony ofthe paper bags on World Environment Day, Federal Minister for Environment Samina Khalid Ghurki said the environment ministry is working on a plan to ban plastic bags in the country.

Ghurki said black polythene bags were already banned and that provincial governments were regulating the thickness of other bags so that the damage they caused to the environment could be limited.

Ghurki said that the government was also working on promoting awareness about development and preservation of forests, this year’s World Environment Day theme.

She said forests were central to maintaining a balance between the natural and the built environment.

She said forest development could be understood from a business point of view as well.

“It yields high returns in the form the positive impact it has on natural resources and the economy,” she said.

She said that after the passage of the 18th constitutional amendment, forests conservation and development had become a provincial subject. “It is the provinces’ responsibility now to allocate sufficient resources for the sector,” she said.

“Only paper and fabric bags will now be allowed at Metro,” said Metro Managing Director David Boner on this occasion.

“The paper bag is made of rice husk, can carry up to 5 kg and is recyclable,” he said. The store would charge Rs5 per paper bag.

He said the fabric bag could carry up to 10 kg and was porous so water could easily pass through it.

“Even if these bags are dumped, they won’t clog drains like the plastic bags do,” he said.

United Bank Limited District Manager Mudassir Nawaz, Metro Corporate Affairs Director and Company Secretary Pervaiz Akhtar, Metro Officer Management Director Dirk Essmann were also present at the occasion.

Copyright PPI (Pakistan Press International), 2011