RIYADH — Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, has issued orders to continue the ban on using cooking gas at the holy sites during this year's Haj. The crown prince, who is also chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, has directed the concerned authorities to strictly enforce the instructions and take penal action against those who bring or use LPG cylinders to Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah in violation of the law. Lt. Gen. Suleiman Al-Amr, director general of the Civil Defense, said the ban on cooking gas had been helpful in preventing possible fires in pilgrims' tents. He said Civil Defense inspectors have been authorized to seize cooking gas cylinders and take penal action against the violators, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Meanwhile, Minister of Haj Bandar Hajjar made an inspection tour of the offices of the tawafa organizations for pilgrims from the Arab and the Southeast Asian countries. The minister expressed satisfaction over the preparations made by the organizations to serve the pilgrims. More than half a million pilgrims have already arrived in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
