Unhygienic conditions: Drive against food outlets gears up

Seven locations sealed, five outlets fined Rs0.1m in Pindi

RAWALPINDI: Several food outlets have been sealed and fined in the garrison city since Saturday.

Teams from the City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) have been carrying out out the operation.

Ghazanfar Ali, personal secretary to the assistant commissioner, said CDGR teams sealed the following food outlets: Tehzeeb Bakery and Sain Jee Murgh Pulao in Commercial Market; Bamboo Fast Food in Chandni Chowk; Al-Sheikh Tikka House and Shahnshah Tikka House in Stadium Road’s Food Street; Bread ‘n Butter Bakers in Saddar; and Rahat Bakers in Chaklala Scheme-III.

The outlets fined for violating health and sanitation standards include Sajid Sweets in Saddar which was fined Rs10,000; KFC in Commercial Market was fined Rs15,000; Savor Food in Shamsabad was fined Rs20,000; Sweet Palace on Murree Road was fined Rs15,000; Shahnshah Tikka House on Stadium Road was fined Rs20,000; and Valley Way Bakers in Chaklala Scheme-III was fined Rs20,000.

According to a CDGR official, the outlets have been sealed for an indefinite period. He added the outlets are required to submit an affidavit committing to comply with health and sanitation regulations.

“After receiving these affidavits, the locations will be monitored for a week, and the decision to reopen them will be taken accordingly,” he said.

Some of the outlets were sealed due to substandard conditions at their kitchens and storage spaces while others were sealed and fined due to poor hygiene of workforce, he shared.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2015.