The city government is to get some influence over the Punjab Food Safety and Standard Authority (PFSAA), which is to formally begin operations in the city on July 2, The Express Tribune has learnt.
The authority, being set up under an act passed last year, is to monitor the manufacturing, distribution, storage, sale and import of food, taking over the functions of the District Food Department.
District Coordination Officer (DCO) Noorul Amin Mengal expressed concern to senior Punjab government officials about the authority and its impact on the city government a few days ago.
The city district government’s nine food inspectors – one for each town – are also known to have concerns, as they are to work under newly hired food safety officers in the authority. Though the authority is to start operations in a couple of days, these inspectors are yet to join the PFSAA on deputation.
Food Secretary Ifran Ahmad Elahi told The Express Tribune that Mengal had been assured that the city district government would be a participant in the authority. The DCO would get to write one of the two annual confidential reports (ACR) for the PFSSA’s deputy director of operations, who would be the current district officer (food). The other ACR would be written by the director general of the authority. He said that the rules would be amended to address the issue of district government participation.
City government officials said that various rules for how the authority would function had not been formulated. For example, it was not clear which court would deal with cases instituted by the authority.
The authority has set up an office in Gulberg and hired directors, deputy directors and nine food safety officers, including three fresh female graduates from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. They will be the first women to work in operational roles in food monitoring in the district. The authority is still to hire nine food inspectors, in addition to the nine inspectors to be taken on deputation from the city government.
PFSSA Director General Muhammad Asad Mahani said that he was confident the city government food inspectors would join the authority soon. He said that an amended version of the Pure Food Rules of 2007 had been proposed as the rules of the authority. He said the authority had no conflict with the city government and would seek to work with it. District government officials said that the inspectors would be sent on deputation in a day or two.
Elahi, the food secretary, said that the members of the authority would frame the rules, as provided by the PFSSA Act of 2011, once the body became active. He said initially, the authority would concentrate on raising awareness of the importance of maintaining a hygienic environment at eating places. There would be no early campaign to fine establishments for violating hygiene rules, he said. But he added that factories involved in food adulteration “would not be spared”.
He said that the authority would be set up in four other cities in Punjab within a year. He said that the public should be patient and give the authority some time to get results. He said that those hired as food safety officers were selected on merit. “There is no quota for women,” he said.
The members of the authority include Dr Samia Kalsoom, principal of the Government College for Home Economics, Lahore; Prof (retired) Javeed Aziz Awan, visiting professor at the National Institute of Food Sciences and Technology and the UAF; Dr Wazir Hussain Shah, former director general of the Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR); MPAs Rana Muhammad Afzal from Faisalabad, Khurram Ijaz from Sheikhupura, and Farrukh Ijaz from Pakpattan; the food, finance, health, public health, local government and livestock secretaries; a representative each of the Lahore Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the food industry, and food operators; and two representatives each of farmers and consumers.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2012.
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How is this food authority going to regulate food industries around Karachi? Nothing prevents them from bringing their products for selling into Punjab. In the EU there is a subject titled 'consumer protection' that is a central subject in the purview of Brussels.
I fully agree with the above comment that it should be instituted at federal level which should frame food safety rules and regulations which are badly needed. At present there are no food laws in Pakistan and we can easily adopt some from other international organizations. In the US, FDA and USDA are responsible for such activities. First we should have clearcut rules and then an AUTHORITY to implement.
The present "Authority" has few expert names but it is dominated by breaucrates and politicians, it is bound to collapse. We need urgent but realistic approach to make our food safe. 'Allah' may bless us with some vision.
Shouldn't this be a federal subject with uniform procedures accross the country .
Shamful is the way the PPP government in the centre has absolved itself of all critical responsibilities
Food in South Asia is one of the most adulterated. We need to ensure food quality for one and all .