Govt ordered to disinfect grain and vegetable markets

LAHORE : The Lahore High Court has directed the Punjab government to adopt all possible precautionary measures to disinfect grain and vegetable markets as the two places are overcrowded and vulnerable to the coronavirus.

The authorities concerned should ensure distancing amongst the people gathering there, the persons leaving from the markets must be disinfected and the new entrants must also be screened and one of the effective steps can be China-model circle distancing, the court observed in an interim order issued on a petition relating to government steps to fight the coronavirus. The court said the government while distributing financial or food aid to the deserving public should adopt uniform policy and there must be no social or political-based discrimination. The court further asked the government to ensure no shortage of food items particularly flour. The authorities should consider establishing Corona (COVID-19) special test laboratories, one at DHQ Multan and one similar laboratory shall also be set up at Lahore. “Considering the need of the time, we feel that instead of choosing specific areas of the cities for spray, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad and Lahore should be sprayed as a whole to avoid any panic or unrest as the areas are affected by the coronavirus, the court added. The government assured the court that a policy would be devised to grant special remission and pardon to under-trial or convicted prisoners, women and juvenile. About the prisoners confined because of non-payment of amounts of fine, diyat or daman, the government informed it that all possible steps would be taken to fulfil their obligations by generating funds either from Bait-ul-Mall or inviting financial sound persons to come in aid. The court adjourned the hearing for a date to be fixed by the registrar office.