SWABI: The district administration sealed an industrial unit in Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate (GAIE) here on Friday due to failure of its administration to adopt precautionary measures for checking the spread of coronavirus among its workers.

A team led by Topi tehsil additional assistant commissioner Mehran Khan visited the industrial units in Gadoon estate on the directives deputy commissioner Shahid Mehmood.

When contacted, the administration officials said that according to the government plan the industrial units would be opened in different phases. The units who fulfil the criteria are allowed to continue their operation, while the remaining units have been warned to meet the required measures for protection of the workers.

Mr Mehran told mediapersons that a known five-star foam industrial unit in GAIE failed to meet the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and they had sealed the industry. He said that action would also be taken against other units if they failed to follow the government instructions.

Meanwhile a five-member committee has been constituted to monitor the residential colony of workers in Gadoon estate with regard to the precautionary measures.

RUSH IN MARKETS: A rush of people was witnessed in the markets of district headquarters and four tehsils here on Friday.

It was surprising to see rush of consumers in local markets amid calls for adopting steps against coronavirus pandemic. In some vegetable and fruit markets it was even difficult to get a foothold.

Traffic jams were witnessed in Swabi city at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk and in the main markets of Topi, Chota Lahor and Razaar tehsils.

Asked about the rush, some of the consumers said that they wanted to store enough essential items for Ramazan so they could remain at home and follow social distancing during the month.

Anjuman-i-Dokandaran, Swabi, president Laiq Khan said that the consumers also visited utility stores to buy ghee, rice and other eatables at subsidised rates, but a number of them returned disappointed.

“The utility stores often lack key commodities to meet demand of the consumers,” Asif Khan of Maneri Bala village complained.

MPA Rangaiz khan, who visited the markets on Thursday, said that special teams had been constituted to control hoarding and profiteering.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2020