LAHORE: The citizens on Thursday criticised the district government over unavailability of oil and ghee at Ramazan bazaars in the city.

The district administration has established 32 Ramazan bazaars in various parts of the city to provide the masses with subsidised items and given them relief in this holy month. The bazaars are supposed to have shops of grocery, meat and poultry besides wheat flour and sugar sale points.

In the provincial metropolis, the bazaars have been established at Begum Kot, Mochi Gate, Badami Bagh, Thokar Niaz Baig, Sabzazar, Moon Market of Gulshan-i-Ravi, Nadeem Shaheed Road, Kareem Park, Shah Baba ground in Islampura, Nehru Park, Bedian Road, Harbanspura, Chungi Dogash, Abbas Athar Park in Tajpura, Makkah Colony, Model Town’s Q Block, Barkat Market, Ghalib Market, Township Tipu Chowk, Nishtar Colony, Samanabad, Wahdat Colony, Kahna Nau, Shadman Wapda Grid Station, Sher Shah Colony Raiwind, Mian Plaza Johar Town, Raiwind, Chuhng, Shadbagh, China Scheme, Baghbanpura, Jallo Mor and Paragon City, Barki Road.

However, the citizens continued to complain about the unavailability of oil and ghee in the bazaar while the customers would have to stand in long queues to purchase items of daily use.

The customers were of the view that although the items available at the Ramazan bazaars were providing them with relief, some items, including oil and ghee, were in short supply. They demanded the government ensure availability of all items in the bazaars.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Umer Sher Chattha chaired a meeting to review arrangements at the Ramazan bazaars. He directed the additional deputy commissioner, assistant commissioners and secretary market committees to ensure availability of items of daily use.

Mr Chattha said the teams should also continue checking the quality of items and would ensure availability of subsidised items. He directed the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) to ensure cleanliness in and around the Ramazan bazaars and keep the roads clear of encroachments.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2022