Say No to Plastic Campaign  

The latest episode of Jarga Maraka (Debate and Council) discussed the recent campaign of ‘Say No to Plastic Bags’ in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The guest on the show, Ms. Sara Rehman, Assistant Commissioner, Peshawar stated that the provincial government of KP has put a ban on the use of plastic bags to ensure a clean and safe environment as the excessive use of plastic bags is proving to be a menace for our society. District Administration has adopted a gradual but steady policy to discourage the use of plastic bags and replacing them with biodegradable and cloth bags.

Responding to a question regarding the industry and human sources involved in the production of  plastic bags she explained that all the stakeholders are on board and we have assured them that government will not immediately shut down this industry. However, they have been asked to change their technology and adopt more environmental friendly methods. The alternative is biodegradable bags which are not made of polythene chemical. They have the option of producing biodegradable and cloth bags.

The second guest on the show, Mr. Lehaz Ali, a journalist said that according to news reports an increase of 15% has been noted with each passing year in the use of plastic bags. There are 160,000 people directly associated with this industry and 600,000 indirectly involved. Public awareness is crucial to discourage this trend along with clear legislation and implementation.

A field-based report by Mr. Tahir Rasheed shared the facts and figures regarding the excessive use of plastic bags and the need for immediate substitutes.

About Sabawoon:

Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a counter-radicalization, strategic communications programme, designed to highlight and promote the fundamental governance values such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry, social cohesion.

The show airs Tuesday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 kHz from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM.

On Tuesday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with input from government and other senior officials. Jawandai Jazbey airs on Wednesday and deals with issues of relevance to, and significance for, youth, and students. Socio-cultural affairs and issues of women are discussed in Ranra on Thursday.