PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to formulate law to cut plastic pollution after the government failed to control its use despite ban.
Daily Mashriq reported on Thursday that the government has constituted a seven-member special committee with the task to draft the law for banning the use of plastic bags. Sources said that officials of the Environment and Wildlife department, Law Department, chief legation office, secretary local government, Personal Secretary Local Government, Director General Environmental Protection Agency, Director General Industry and Additional Advocate general are part of the committee.
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The committee will present the draft law to the provincial law department within 14 days. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government banned the use of plastic bags in April 2017 and warned that a fine of Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 million will be imposed those violating the order.
However, even after 4 years, the desired results could not be achieved with the said ban, after which all the authorities have recommended the formulation of comprehensive law to protect the environment against plastic bags.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has recently taking several steps for environment production. Yesterday, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that the air quality monitoring stations will work under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in major cities severely affected by toxic smog. The KP environment protection organizations welcomed the government’s plan and hoped that it will be helpful in keeping check on KP’s environment.
The officials said that after the establishment of the station air quality index will be made available to all government departments and people to adopt mitigation measures. The authority declared that “smog is one of the most serious health hazards, and can be fatal to human health, especially to children”. The PDMA said that a winter emergency plan has also been completed for Peshawar.
On 16 December, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transport Department slapped ban on dilapidated school buses. The notification issued by the transport department ordered the private schools to replace vehicles registered with the excise department before December 2000 within a month; otherwise, the administration will have to take disciplinary action. The transport department said that most of the transport vehicles used by educational institutions, especially private schools, have become obsolete and worn out which is causing pollution.