‘Wear a Mask’ drive to begin in Sindh

Sindh govt tries another tactic to encourage citizens to wear masks

KARACHI:

In an attempt to encourage citizens to wear face masks as a preventative measure against coronavirus, Sindh chief secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah directed all deputy commissioners (DCs) to launch a 'Wear a Mask' drive in their respective districts.

He was presiding over a meeting reviewing the implementation of the smart lockdown, the anti-locust operation and monsoon contingency plan, among others, on Thursday.

Briefing the meeting regarding the smart lockdown in their respective areas, divisional commissioners said that several shops had been sealed, while many of those violating the standard operating procedures were fined. They added that traders had been fined Rs6.1 million for price gouging so far.

Taking notice of the complaints regarding the hike in milk prices in Karachi, Shah directed city commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani to collaborate with the Sindh Food Authority in taking action against this.

He further ordered commissioners to devise contingency plans regarding the monsoon rains and increase dewatering pumps to avert possible floods in low-lying areas.

He also directed K-Electric, Hyderabad Electric Supply Company and Sukkur Electric Power Company officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the monsoon season so that rainwater could be drained.

Moreover, Shah sought a report on load-shedding from the various DCs. To this end, the DCs revealed that prolonged load-shedding had become the norm, with several towns and villages spending hours without electricity each day.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2020.