EPA ordered to ensure polythene bag ban on motorways

LAHORE:The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure ban on use of polythene bags by tuck shops and restaurants on motorways.

Justice Shahid Karim was hearing a public interest petition moved by a citizen, Haroon Farooq, on different environmental issues.

Petitioner’s counsel Abuzar Salman Niazi told the court that the court banned the use of polythene bags in the whole province of Punjab. However, he said, the restaurants and tuck shops at the motorways had not complied with the ban and opening using the plastic bags.

He asked the court to order the government to also ensure the ban on the motorways. The judge directed the EPA to strictly enforce the ban on all malls, restaurants and outlets operational on the motorways and submit a compliance report within a week.

The petitioner had raised the issues of polythene bags, conservation of clean water and industrial emissions.