In six months: RCB fines substandard food vendors Rs 4m

Cantonment magistrate decides on 825 cases of code violations

RAWALPINDI: The food branch of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) imposed fines worth Rs4 million on food vendors who were violating food rules of the cantonment board over the past six months while 3,896 food samples were collected during this period.

According to an RCB spokesperson, the food branch had raided various restaurants, hotels and other fast food joints in the cantonment over the past six months.

Some of these establishments were sealed for unhygienic conditions.

Moreover, of the 3,896 samples collected and sent to laboratories for testing. The department received reports of 2,896 samples during this period of which 1,236 samples were found to be unhealthy and of low standard.

Their cases were forwarded to the cantonment magistrate. The court decided nearly 825 cases in which it imposed fines worth over Rs1.6 million. The branch issued 80 notices and the violators were penalised Rs219,000.

The Chief Food Inspector along with food inspecting teams also checked the hygienic conditions at the food outlets and imposed fines of over Rs2 million.

Food Inspectors on the directives of the Cantonment Executive Officer Sibtain Raza conducted surprise visits of various markets including Saddar, Peshawar Road, Qasim Market, Chor, Allahabad, Masrial, Tench Bhatta, Peoples Colony, Chungi Number 22, Bakra Mandi and other areas and inspected cleanliness conditions along with the quality of food items at these outlets.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2018.