Poor hygiene, cleanliness: 72 schools issued warnings

K-P food authority tells schools to adhere to ban on soft drinks, chips

PESHAWAR: Days after the newly-established provincial food authority slapped a ban on the sale of chips and carbonated beverages in schools, dozens of educational institutions in the provincial capital were warned not to sell the items.

Food Safety Assistant Director Aneela Mahboob, to enforce the ban, checked private schools located along the Warsak Road in Peshawar.

Mahboob said that canteens and cafeterias at most of the private schools were found to be unhygienic and full of dirt.

She added that her team found many school canteens selling energy and soft drinks in violation of the ban. At this, her team issued warning notices to the schools and bound them to improve the situation otherwise strict action would be taken against them. In Hayatabad, Assistant Director Saira Nisar said that she too found many schools flouting the food safety standards.

She maintained that most of the food items were found uncovered. These concerns were then expressed by serving improvement notices.

“Most of the private school students were drinking tap water. The students were left with no option but to drink unfiltered and unhygienic water,” she disclosed.

Food Safety Assistant Director Asad Ali, while visiting schools situated on University road, said that safety standards were quite lax at the schools checked.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2018.