KP to Ban Plastic Bags After 3 Months

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to strictly enforce the ban on the use and sale of polythene bags in the province after a three-month period.

This decision was made during the second meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Council, chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, according to a handout issued on Sunday.

The meeting was attended by acting Chief Secretary Muhammad Abid Majeed, administrative secretaries of relevant departments, officials from the Environment Department, and private council members.

Various issues related to environmental pollution were discussed, and several key decisions were made. One of these decisions was to transition all brick kilns in the province to Zigzag technology, with plans to provide kiln owners with soft loans to facilitate this shift.

The meeting also approved the proposed Rules of Procedures for the Environmental Protection Council.

An important agenda item was the proposal to declare the province’s tourist areas as environmentally sensitive zones. The Environment Department was instructed to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and present final recommendations to the provincial cabinet. Tourist areas such as Naran, Kaghan, Shogran, Galiyat, Kumrat, and Kalam were among those considered.

Discussions also covered the establishment of a Climate Change Centre and a Climate Change Authority in the province. Officials were tasked with consulting experts to draft a feasible implementation plan.

It was further decided to modernize climate change content in school and college curricula to align with contemporary needs.

The forum also directed the Health Department to submit a report on hospital waste management within a month.

Chief Minister Gandapur described environmental pollution as a serious challenge, emphasizing the need for timely and coordinated efforts to address it. He instructed all relevant departments to work together to develop a comprehensive strategy, identifying problems and proposing practical solutions.