People, shopkeepers reluctant to follow COVID-19 SOPs

Rawalpindi : In absence of effective crackdown on part of City District Administration of Rawalpindi to ensure implementation on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) against coronavirus, citizens, and shopkeepers were seen reluctant to follow preventive measures against rising suspects of pandemic in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Citizens demonstrating leniency towards coronavirus amidst increasing suspects of the pandemic in the twin cities, as all major shopping malls and business centres in the garrison city were seen reluctant in observing SOPs against Covid-19 at a time, when the suspects and victims of this pandemic is rising alarmingly in the city.

City District administration visited major markets of Rawalpindi with contingents of police and volunteers of Civil Defence in Saddar Bazaar, Tench Bhatta, old city bazaars, Adiyala Road and Commercial Market to check implementation on SOPs against Covid-19.

On checking of SOPs against coronavirus, citizens as well as shopkeepers were seen resisting the police and officials of City District Administration. The least number of citizens and buyers were seen with observing directives of the government to wear masks and using hand sanitiser as preventive measure against coronavirus. Meanwhile, in all major markets, the shopkeepers as well as in major shopping plaza, there were no specific arrangements to ensure social distancing among visitors and buyers inside shopping plazas.

Meanwhile, city District administration instead of ensuring use of masks and social distancing remained vigilant in ensuring implementation in the evening on timing restrictions in markets at major commercial units while all shops and smaller markets remained open even after time restrictions in wake of coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

Gathering in major markets and outside eateries were found as usual without observing restrictions and SOPs of social distancing and citizens were quite reluctant to use masks as a preventive measure against COVID-19.

On the other side, City District Administration remained busy in making tall claims in view of making implementation on SOPs against coronavirus contrary to ground reality.

Zubair Ahmed, a retired civil servant, said government has to move towards proactive measures to ensure implementation on directives and SOPs of the government against COVID-19. He said coronavirus cases are rising alarmingly in Rawalpindi but the district government is relying on citizens to observe SOPs and preventive measures voluntarily; government with the assistance of law enforcement agencies have to come hard to ensure implementation of SOPs against coronavirus.

Citizens in the absence of effective policing measures are least bothered to wear masks and ensuring social distancing while visiting public places and markets.

On the other side, Traffic wardens have been instructed to challan motorcyclists riding bikes without masks but still there is no restrictions observed from motorcyclists to ensure the usage of masks while riding bikes.