Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — On behalf of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MMRA), the mayoralties and municipalities are continuing to carry out the ministry’s precautionary and preventative plans to ensure that all members of society are safe and healthy, as well as to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Tuesday.

The ministry added that during the first week of this month, the field teams of the mayoralties and municipalities in various regions of the Kingdom carried out 84,864 visits, and inspection and supervisory rounds of stores, food shops, and public markets.

These included 83,585 rounds carried out by health supervisors in the municipal sector, and 1,279 joint rounds along with the pertinent sectors.

The ministry added that the field monitoring tours resulted in the detection of 4,651 violations of the health conditions, measures and directives issued by the ministry and the authorities related to public health, as part of the Kingdom's efforts to counter the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. This also comes within the sphere of the ministry’s functions and tasks to achieve the safety of members of society.

MMRA said that the violations included 1,899 cases related to health measures for curbing the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 135 violations due to overcrowding in markets and malls, and 172 instances of overcrowding in workers’ housing, in addition to 684 violations due to engagement in activities that are not exempt, and 1,761 violations as a result of carrying out activities outside the working hours specified in the permit.

The municipal sector shut down 70 facilities in the first week of June due to the violation of the precautionary and preventative measures they imposed, in cooperation with the public health-related authorities, to stem the spread of COVID-19. The bylaw on penalties and fines was implemented on the violators, the ministry said.

The MMRA indicated that the supervisory teams confiscated 141,069 kg of commodities and foodstuffs that are unfit for human consumption, either because of the expiry date or their violation of health standards and specifications.

The ministry noted that the inspection and supervision teams work around the clock to check whether the establishments are complying with the directives issued by the competent authorities or not, including adherence to the specified times, regulating the entry and exit of clients, preventing crowding by not accepting more orders, and the continued closure of shops not covered by the decisions to allow their activities.

The MMRA has stressed that the safety of the community is a top priority, and it will not hesitate to take decisions to prevent the facilities that do not comply with the instructions.