Pindi admin cracks down on violators of SOPs

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi administration is taking strict action against transporters, shopping plazas, marriage halls, restaurants and other public places for not following standard operating procedures (SOPs), a spokesperson said on Sunday.

A large number of vehicles were inspected and fines were imposed by Regional Transport Authority (RTA) yet the transporters, drivers and passengers have not fully adopted the SOPs. Nobody is observing social distancing in the local transport and the transporters are just concerned about earning money through accommodating maximum passengers, a citizen complained.

Hundreds of vans and Suzuki pickups are plying as public transport and passengers have no choice except using these over-crowded vehicles. RTA authorities informed that teams were conducting raids on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anwarul Haq has urged the citizens to follow SOPs and adopt all possible precautionary measures against coronavirus. The administration accelerated raids against violators of SOPs whereby 32 mosques and madaras, six educational institutions and a bus stand were checked by the district officers, a spokesperson stated.

15 raids were also conducted at public transport terminals besides imposing Rs3,500 on violators while 41 raids were conducted at public places and parks with Rs5,000 imposed in fines on them.

Similarly, 119 raids were carried out on shopping malls, markets and plazas and 10 were sealed for violating SOPs besides imposing fines amounting to Rs44,500. 12 marriage halls and 72 restaurants were also checked during the campaign. He further informed that fines amounting to Rs21,000 were imposed on four restaurants and Rs10,000 on marriage halls. Furthermore, the Rawalpindi police arrested 60 people over violations of SOPs and registered 43 cases in that regard. According to a spokesperson, Potohar division arrested 37 shopkeepers while Saddar division held 23 on the violation, including the closure of shops.

City Police Officer Ahsan Younas strictly instructed the authorities concerned to speed up action against those violating the law and ensure that officers and personnel assigned on field duty adhered to preventive measures against the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2021.