Warning issued to school supplies shops in Al Dhaid

The Al Dhaid Municipality has sounded a warning to shops selling school supplies not to hike price of their items, and desist from displaying and selling "harmful" games as well as books and stationery that may contain offensive images or words.
The warning comes as part of the civic body's inspection initiative. However, under the campaign, no fines would be issued to violators in order to mark the 'Year of Tolerance', while awareness about rules disseminated among commercial outlets and stationery shops.
Nasser Saeed Al Tunaiji, director of Safety and Inspection at Al Dhaid Municipality, said that the municipality - represented by the Municipal Safety and Inspection Department - carried out the 'Day without Violations' campaign, which coincides with the declaration of 'Year of Tolerance' in the country and the start of the second semester in schools.
The awareness drive targeted commercial centers, libraries and stationery shops to remind them of compliance with regulation and pricing rules. The campaign emphasises that the role of the municipality is primarily to educate people of regulation and not just issuing violations to the offenders.
Al Tunaiji pointed out that the campaign focused on advising and educating the owners, staff, and workers of shops and school supplies market not to "exploit" the re-opening of the school to increase the price of stationaries and not display products that are banned such as "harmful" games, as well as books that may contain offensive images or words.
He said that the campaign comes within the framework of the municipality's efforts to boost communication with the owners of companies, institutions, and shops and educate them about violations that are punishable by law.
Stressing that the drive received overwhelming response from the targeted outlets, Al Tunaiji pointed out that it focused mainly on ensuring that the commercial institutions abide by the regulations and on checking the content of pictures and phrases on children's bags, while keeping a watch on games that pose risk to its users.
Al Tunaiji pointed out that the municipality is committed to ensure the safety of consumers, especially children. He urged the public to call 993 and notify the municipality about display of any stationery, tools or school bags that are banned in the country. The people can also submit a complaint through municipality's various platforms on social media Facebook And Twitter and Instagram.
"The cooperation of the consumers in reporting such violations would facilitate the work of municipal inspectors and speed up the application of the necessary control measures to protect members of society and control goods that can be harmful," Al Tunaiji said.

• Sharjah

Afkar Ali Ahmed

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com