Punjab relaunches crackdown on plastic bags

The Punjab government has relaunched its crackdown on plastic shopping bags to reduce environmental harm.

The new regulations require shopkeepers and wholesalers to obtain a license to use plastic bags. The license for wholesalers costs Rs200000 annually with a Rs100000 renewal fee. Shopkeepers including those running grocery, milk, and vegetable stores, will need to pay Rs100000 per year for the license with a renewal fee of Rs50000.

Non-compliant businesses will face severe consequences, including shop sealing, fines up to Rs100,000 and possible jail terms of up to 72 hours. This crackdown is part of the Plastic Bag Ban Act which came into effect on June 5 banning the use, manufacture, storage, and sale of plastic bags thinner than 75 microns.

However, the Grocery Merchants Association has strongly opposed the new policy, labeling the plastic bag license as a hooligan tax. They argue that the government should first ban plastic bag production and shut down factories before enforcing the license. 

The association also raised concerns that small shopkeepers, who use large quantities of plastic bags will be unfairly affected. In response to these concerns, Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema has called a meeting with plastic bag wholesalers to discuss the licensing process. 

Shopkeepers are being urged to remove non-compliant plastic bags from their stores by December 10 and switch to eco-friendly alternatives to avoid penalties.