LAHORE, Jan 15: The city district government squads will not allow firing and kite flying with metal wire on Basant. This was stated by district Nazim Mian Amer while presiding over a meeting held at his office on Thursday to review arrangements for the 15-day spring festival commencing on Feb 15.

The Nazim said a control room would be established for receipt of complaints relating to the use of metal wire and firing on Basant. Police would arrest those involved in violation of the ban, he said.

Parks and Horticulture Authority director-general Shabbir Ahmad said Basant would be celebrated on Feb 14 night and Feb 15. The spring festival would be formally inaugurated at the Racecourse Park on Feb 7. Pavilions reflecting the culture of four provinces and Kashmir would be established at the park.

He said security arrangements should be beefed up during the spring festival because a large number of guests were expected in the provincial metropolis on the occasion as it would coincide with the National Horse and Cattle Show.

He said sanitation arrangements should also be improved on the occasion and ornamental gates erected at the Ravi bridge, Thokar Niaz Beg, railway station, airport, Minar-i-Pakistan, Chungi Amar Sidhu and the motorway without damaging the roads.

Shabbir Ahmad said the spring festivities should reflect the national culture and should be spread all over the provincial metropolis instead of being restricted to certain areas.