Chief secretary distributes cloth bags among Ramazan Bazaar shoppers.

LAHORE -- Punjab Chief Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar on Sunday distributed cloth bags among the shoppers at the Johar Town Ramazan Bazaar, as a gesture to discourage the use of plastic bags in the province.

He also received complaints from the visitors to the bazaar and ordered the authorities concerned to address these quickly. He was accompanied by Lahore Commissioner Mujtaba Piracha and Deputy Commissioner Ms Saleh Saeed while distributing cloth bags among the shoppers to create awareness about the harmfulness of polythene bags. He appealed to the people to prefer cloth bags and reject plastic bags, according to a handout.

Talking to the media, the chief secretary said the use of polythene bags for shopping must be discouraged as these caused environmental pollution, and were a health hazard. He said a strategy had been prepared to phase out the plastic bags and distribution of cloth bags was a 'first step' towards the objective.

He said as per the vision of the prime minister it was a priority of the provincial government to overcome environmental pollution. 'We all will have to make collective efforts against pollution and the media can play an important role in creating awareness among people in this regard,' he said.

Mr Khokhar said all government machinery was working day and night to ensure best arrangements...