Eateries penalised for poor hygiene

The Food Control Cell of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) imposed fines of Rs2.4 million on various eateries over the preparation and sale of food products, violating hygiene standards and maintaining poor sanitation during the current fiscal year.

Further, 600kg of plastic bags were also confiscated during the raids carried out in different areas of the cantonment.

This action was initiated by the Food Control Cell In-charge, Haroon Zafar, on the instructions of the Cantonment Executive Officer (CEO), Imran Gulzar.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Zafar said: “The purpose of these operations is to ensure the implementation of hygiene standards across the cantonment to protect the citizens from dangerous diseases, to ensure the supply of quality food products and the eradication of the adulteration mafia.”

The personnel of the Food Control Cell sealed about 38 food outlets in various areas of the cantonment, including Naseerabad, Allahabad, Peshawar Road, Misrial Road, Sadar and other places, while taking legal action against poor hygiene and cleanliness while 80kg of unhealthy meat was destroyed in the action against sub-standard meat.

Further, 115kg of adulterated milk was seized from Misrial Road, Chauhar Chowk, Bakra Mandi, Dhamiyal Road, and Tench Bhata areas and was subsequently destroyed.

Meanwhile, the Food Control Cell collected 103 food and drink samples from various food outlets which were sent to the Public Analyst Laboratory for testing and out of these samples, 44 confirmed adulterated cases were sent to the court of Cantonment magistrate for imposition of fines.

According to the Cantt Board, fines were imposed by the Cantt Judicial Magistrate on 17 cases of adulteration.

During raids, 65 notices were issued to various shops and due to non-compliance by the shopkeepers these cases were also referred to the court of Cantt magistrate.

Factory sealed

Meanwhile, during a major operation by the RCB’s Food Control Cell, a factory producing substandard and unhealthy ice cream was sealed and a fine of Rs150,000 was also imposed on its owners.

According to the details, a major operation was conducted on Peshawar Road under the supervision of Haroon Zafar, in-charge Food Control Cell, during which a private ice-cream factory was sealed over substandard cleanliness and use of expired food colours and flavours.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2023.