Islamabad citizens to get environment-friendly bags from 30 kiosks across Islamabad
After the plastic bag ban in Islamabad, Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) has announced to set up 30 kiosks in different shopping malls and markets across Islamabad to distribute environment-friendly bags.
“We have made cotton, jute and other fabric bags to be distributed among the general on these kiosks to be set up at various shopping centres”, said MoCC Senior Joint Secretary Hammad Shamimi.
The government decided to set up kiosks after complaints from the citizens that theyr were not able to find eco-friendly bags. The
“The corporate sector had taken this initiative positively and had subsidized the production of cotton bags which had helped such masses to produce cotton bags at home to earn a reasonable livelihood,” he added.
The ban on plastic bags would offer a decent employment opportunity for poor widows and underprivileged communities of the society.”
Islamabad’s deputy commissioner, Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat, had earlier informed that the city government has invited transgender people and beggars to sell paper bags – or any type of biodegradable shopping bags. “We will neither charge them rental or license fee nor impose a fine on them. They can also set up makeshift stalls after informing us at a location of their choice” he said.
Most of the shopkeepers have embraced the plastic bag ban as an average retailer had to buy Rs10,000 to Rs15,000 worth plastic bags which was given away to the consumers for free. “Now they are buying a cotton bag from the wholesalers for Rs25 and then selling it to consumers for Rs30 hence, earning an extra profit in their sales,” the Joint Secretary was quoted as saying by The News.