Law breakers are breathing easy as no health raids or demolition drives have taken place after Diwali break.
Although officials of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) health department had planned to carry out stricter health raids after the Diwali season, that does not seem to be the case. It looks like the officials are still in a vacation mood. It has been several days since they have carried out health checks on construction plots, or seized plastic bags, or checked the sweet shops for leftover stuff.
If this be the case with the civic body's health officials, then it should come as no surprise that estate department officials are in a holiday mood as well. It seems as if the law breakers of the city are having a good time carrying out activities at their free will as no effective health or estate checks have been carried out since Diwali.
An officer at a ward office requesting anonymity said to DNA, "We have been given instructions to not carry out major checks during Diwali until Dev Diwali."
Despite the Diwali vacation for AMC staff being over, is the civic body still caught up in a holiday daze? Answering this, municipal commissioner Guruprasad Mohapatra said, "There were several issues due to which raids and demolitions have been conducted after Diwali. One of the major reasons was availability of staff as many of them are on leave. Secondly, for demolition, we require police protection which is not possible as a majority of the police force has been deployed for the Advani Rath Yatra while others are on Diwali vacations."
He further stated that although the estate department would function only after November 14, the health department is already planning and gearing up to restart the raids after the same date.
“A schedule for the future course of action is being prepared by the medical officer of health (MOH) which will be regularly followed by the health department,” informed Mohapatra.
Echoing a similar opinion, a health official gave the figures of recent health raids and said, “It is not that we are not carrying stringent checks but the checks are taking place at a lower level. On Saturday, we destroyed 800 kgs of adulterated food from different areas of the city and collected a total fine of Rs23, 000 in a single day from all zones of the city.”
It seems that the law offenders only have a few days of 'freedom' as routine raids and demolitions are set to recommence soon.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}