Over 1,000 shops, shopping malls sealed for not following SOPs

FAISALABAD: Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali on Sunday visited different bazaars around the Clock Tower and checked the implementation on the lockdown as per directions of the Punjab government.

The DC went to Jhang Bazaar and other bazaars and checked the implementation on the SOPs and closed some irrelevant shops. The DC said that the district govt had sealed more than 1,000 shops, shopping malls, restaurants and public transport for not obeying the SOPs and 69 teams were in field to check the govt instructions in bazaars. He said that action was also being taken for those not using sanitizers, non-compliance of social distance and not using face masks. He discouraged those who walk in the markets without any reason. He urged the citizens to keep themselves confined to their homes for health reasons in view of the growing threat of coronavirus so that the virus does not spread. He asked the administrative officers to visit the markets regularly and sealed the shops in case of any violation. He told the shopkeepers that in the light of government directives, business should be closed on every Saturday and Sunday so refrain from opening shops.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali in the committee room of his office in which the issues of assigning various duties to the Corona Relief Tiger Force consisting of volunteers in the light of the directions of the government were discussed.

MPA Firdous Rai, SSP Operations Syed Ali Raza, Additional Deputy Commissioner Headquarters Afifa Shajia, Education CEO Ali Ahmed Sian, DO Population Welfare Zafar Iqbal, Deputy Director Social Welfare Khalid Bashir, Education Officers Muhammad Irshad, Razia Tabbasum, and others were also present.

The deputy commissioner said that in the situation created due to corona, rescue services, security measures, implementation on lockdown, awareness of the use of face masks among the public and implementation on the SOPs in shops and markets were being carried out with the services of Tiger Force.

He said that all registered volunteers should be contacted in this regard so that maximum number of volunteers could be availed.

The deputy commissioner reprimanded the officers of Population Welfare, Social Welfare and District Education Authority for not fulfilling the targets of taking Tiger Force volunteers on board and urged them to immediately contact the Tiger Force focal persons and assign them duties. In this regard, other officers and staff of their departments should be mobilised while the members of the assembly should also be kept informed of the plan, he added. The additional deputy commissioner Headquarters said that total 49,289 people had been registered with the Corona Tiger Force in the district out of which 9,652 were volunteering so far while most of them were social workers, students, teachers, medical workers and journalists.

MPA Firdous Rai and other PTI leaders said that they would make the Tiger Force in Faisalabad a success in collaboration with the district administration.

KASHMIR BRIDGE UNDERPASS: Faisalabad Development Authority Director General Muhammad Sohail Khawaja has said that 70 per cent construction work of Kashmir Bridge Underpass mega project has been completed at a cost of Rs 1.28 billion. He informed this during a meeting with MNA Ch Faizullah Kamoka here on Sunday.

The FDA DG said that the Kashmir Bridge Underpass project would finally be completed within three months subject to provision of remaining funds of Rs 38 million immediately. He said that necessary measures were being taken to remove the difficulties of the citizens during the construction process of the project. He said that the western part would also be opened temporary within three days after removing the rain water and clearing the mud.

He informed that steps had also been taken to control the environmental pollution surrounding the project. The DG also told the details of the proposed development projects of Faisalabad Ring Road, Expressway and Techno Park and said that the Wasa

services were also being improved despite financial constraints. He asked the MNA to extend support for getting the remaining funds of Kashmir Bridge Underpass sanctioned.

MNA Ch Faizullah Kamoka appreciated the new initiatives taken by Director General Muhammad Sohail Khawaja for raising the standard of services delivery of the FDA and the Wasa. He said that public welfare and city development projects were being given priority under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.