GUJRANWALA: The establishment of rehabilitation centres for special persons has been delayed due to non-provision of state land, while the special persons have demanded the government take immediate steps to complete the project.

The Punjab government announced establishment of special persons rehabilitation centres in Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal and Hafizabad district. It also conducted a survey to choose pieces of land in these districts, but no action has been taken yet.

The president of the special persons association, Sheikh Zubair, told Dawn that there were over 18,000 special persons in the division, including more than 3,000 visually impaired, but the government is not taking any steps for their rehabilitation.

The previous governments also prepared estimation reports for the formation of special persons’ rehabilitation centres, but did nothing. It was alleged that the revenue officers were delaying provision of state land for the centres, Mr Zubair added.

PFA: The Punjab Food Authority sealed more than 160 general stores and paan shops for selling gutka in the last two days during an operation across Gujranwala division, and also imposed fines on various food points over unhygienic conditions.

Food safety teams checked general stores and paan shops in Gujranwala city, Kamoki, Noshehra Virkan, Wazirabad, Qila Deedar Singh, Alipur Chattha, Hafizabad, Eminabad, Pasrur, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Kharian, Lalamusa and other areas where the shop keepers were selling the prohibited gutka.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2019