LAHORE :Open violation of the Punjab government’s one-dish policy in marriage ceremonies is going on in the provincial capital while the city administration is acting as a silent spectator. For the past several years, the Punjab government had imposed a ban on serving more than one dish in marriages and City administration is bound to check the marriage halls as well as marriage ceremonies being held in the city to enforce this law. However, in reality many citizens in connivance with the marriage hall managements and city government officers have devised several new ways of breaching the law. It was witnessed that in many cases more than one dish food was served but in the name of salad or snacks. Serving BBQ, chicken roast, different types of salad, juices, various sweet dishes were served other than one dish main menu in the name of starter. “Additional dishes are not served on tables but directly to the plates of the guests,” said a manager of a renowned marriage hall on anonymity. He said we only display one dish menu on tables to deceive the checking parties of the government. Many marriage halls/marquees are serving fresh juices, Dahi Bhalle, fruit chat, pathooray, halwa, chanay, haleem and BBQ items other than the main one dish and termed all this as One Dish menu. Many marriage halls have also launched their marquees and other branches away from main city areas or in jurisdiction of other districts where they were openly serving all kind of food, said another worker of marriage hall industry. He said clients were clearly told that one dish policy will be applicable in Lahore whereas if they choose any of the outskirts locations they could be served food of their choice. On the other hand, Lahore DC held a meeting here Thursday in which he directed his team especially assistant commissioners to be vigilant and check every marriage ceremony for one dish violations. He also warned the officers of departmental action in case of a complaint. dangerous buildings: Lahore Deputy Commissioner has directed all Town Municipal Officers (TMOs) to submit a detailed report on the status of dangerous buildings present in their respective jurisdictions so that a final decision regarding their razing could be taken against them. The deputy commissioner passed these directions in a meeting held here on Thursday. TMOs of Iqbal Town, Nishtar Town, Ravi Road, Samanabad Town, Data Town, Shalimar Town, Gulberg Town and Wagah Town as well as other senior officials of city administration attended the meeting. The officials said the meeting was informed that in Lahore District, almost 435 dangerous buildings were present out of which 10 are under LDA's jurisdiction, 80 were under Walled City of Lahore Authority and rest were under city government. The DC directed all TMOs to submit detailed reports of dangerous buildings in their district before the next meeting so that a final decision of razing dangerous buildings could be taken. He also said that if any such building fell, strict action will be taken against the TMO concerned.
