Several premises sealed, people fined for violation of SOPs

PESHAWAR: In continuation of last week’s implementation of the directives of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and provincial government, the district administration pursued its campaign against the spread of third-wave of fatal coronavirus in the provincial capital.

On the directives of Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Capt (r) Khalid Mehmood, the administrative officers checked the SOPs in main malls, commercial centers, wedding halls, Nadra centres, mosques, hotels and restaurants as well as travel points, including Motorway Toll Plaza and various BRT stations.

The respective assistant and additional assistant commissioners sealed and imposed fines on all found involved in violating COVID-19 SOPs while sealing 58 and many shops.

Besides, more than five hundred people including more than 200 BRT commuters were fined for not wearing face-masks in crowded places.

The new campaign has been launched to protect the public from coronavirus besides restricting 32 localities in the district, which are placed under the smart lockdown. The administrative officers monitored their enforcement and also provided the general public necessary information on precautionary measures about social distancing and wearing of safety masks.

The officers also involved Ulema to deliver special Friday sermons on corona awareness and affixed awareness posters at various mosques and madrassas including Masjid Mahabbat Khan, Masjid Qasim Ali Khan, Masjid Rahman Baba, Madrasa Kitabul Sunnah, Masjid Ganj Ali Khan, and Madrasa Hifz Ul Quran, Sheikh Junaid Abad, among others.

The district administration further sealed various wedding halls in different parts of the provincial metropolis for holding functions within the closed premises while arresting their managers. The sealed wedding halls include Peshawar Gathering, Moon Gathering, Tarun, Casaloma, Sabrina, Romaan, Marriage Hut, Al-Wahid, Bandhan, Aroosa, and Marco Polo.

Khalid Mehmood said that sealing of wedding halls aims at containing the third-wave of Covid-19 and warned that anyone not following social distancing, overlooking face masks, or holding events in closed premises would be strictly held accountable.

Meanwhile, Additional Assistant Commissioner Inayat Atta launched a crackdown on marble factories at Darmangi and Pir Bala areas of Warsak Road due to non-installation of effluent mechanism within their premises and sealed 14 units. Furthermore, these units were found indulged in violation of Environmental Protection Act 2014 and polluting drains and irrigation channels with waste water.

According to DC Peshawar, the sealed factories had been served notices to install proper waste disposal plants and adopt hygienic standards, failing which the action was initiated against them.