Debasement: Adulteration in the capital

ISLAMABAD: Adulteration of daily commodities continues in Islamabad, with the department of Food and Agriculture finding 15 samples taken from the city unfit for human consumption. Sources said the district administration was reluctant to take samples of each commodity, due to which only a handful were being sent to the laboratories for checkup.

National Institute of Health (NIH) has increased laboratory charges, jacking up the sample test fee from Rs500 to Rs1,800 and constraining the administration from sending samples to their laboratory.

Sources said the Deputy Commissioner has also sent a summery to NIH for decrease in the laboratory charges.

They said criminal elements were playing with the lives of the people by adulterating items like tea, ghee, pulses, cold drinks and children’s toffees.

Meanwhile, Assistant Director Food and Agriculture Muhammad Afzal Chaudhry said that even though NIH had increased laboratory charges, they were continuously sending samples for testing.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2011.