Four ‘Sasta Bazaars’ to be set up in Ramazan

Rawalpindi
As per directions of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) of Rawal Town has decided to set up ‘Sasta Bazaars’ in the city like other parts of Punjab in Ramazan starting in the third week of June.
In this connection, the newly-appointed tehsil municipal officer (TMO) presided over a special meeting in his office here on Thursday, which was attended by Tehsil Officer Regulation Malik Tauseef Ahmed, Tehsil Officer Planning and Coordination Rafaqat Hussain Gondal, Senior Public Relations Officer Tahir Mahmood besides other officials.
The TMA would establish four ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’; one each at Committee Chowk, Hyderi Chowk, Shamsabad and Khayaban-e-Sir Syed.
The intending people could apply with the TMA for getting stalls on security payments within two days, failing which, they would not be provided this facility afterwards.
Official spokesman Tahir Mahmood, while confirming the report, said that the objective of establishing special bazaars during Ramazan is to provide kitchen items, clothes and other goods at reduced prices.
Like previous years, the Punjab government has issued special instructions to the city district government as well as the related civic bodies for taking immediate measures for setting up ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’.
Arrangements are being made for construction of stalls in four localities, including Committee Chowk, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Hyderi Chowk and outside Nawaz Sharif Park in Shamsabad.
A committee has been constituted, headed by TMO Mir Akmal, to oversee arrangements of ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’.
Tahir Mahmood said that the committee is working on to provide facilities like fans, UPS and generators for the convenience of buyers preventing them from blazing sun and scorching heat during the hours of power loadshedding. Moreover, water facility would also be provided which could be availed if needed by people during ‘iftar’ timings.
The bazaars would remain open from 9 a.m. till ‘Isha’ prayers. For protecting people from heat and sun, the TMA would erect tents and seats. The TMA staff, headed by senior officials, would remain on duty during bazaar timings.
Heavy contingents of police would be deployed at all ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ along with volunteers to prevent terror.
Prices, quality and standard of commodities would be monitored by the special monitoring staff of the TMA and if any stall-holder was found involved in overcharging or selling rotten vegetables and fruits and low quality kitchen items they would be punished and fined, the spokesman concluded.