- Shehbaz orders authorities to initiate indiscriminate crackdown against adulteration
In a bid to end adulterated and unhygienic food production from the province, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has given approval in principle to expand the scope of Punjab Food Authority (PFA) to seven districts and Murree.
He was presiding over a meeting on Saturday in which he the authorities concerned to launch indiscriminate crackdown against those involved in preparing and selling adulterated items throughout the province, adding that the scope of taskforces would be expanded to nine divisional headquarters for making the campaign against adulteration effective.
The meeting decided to make punishments more deterrent against those preparing and selling substandard, unhygienic and adulterated items whereas approval was also given to the decisions for enhancing fine against mafia involved in adulteration and necessary amendments will be made in the existing laws in this regard.
Special courts will also be set up for hearing of cases against adulteration.
Shehbaz said that the heinous business of preparing and selling ‘poison’ in the name of food would be stopped as provision of poisonous food items cannot be permitted at any cost.
The CM directed that the role of PFA should be made more effective in Lahore and it should be made an institution fully equipped with information technology.
He said that Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) should evolve a system jointly with PFA in this regard and the matters of the authority should be outsourced.
He said that the scope of the PFA would be expanded throughout Punjab under a phased programme.
He also gave approval to start a pilot project for introducing modern model carts prepared for cart pushers in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi. He directed that business model regarding model carts should be prepared and presented.
He said that the Punjab government would provide model carts to cart pushers for specific places where they will start their business.
He said that the government would also provide subsidy on model carts and not only food items will be available to the people according to hygienic standard through model carts at specific places but flow of traffic will also improve.
PFA SEALS H&A QUALITY CHICKEN, ARRESTS 3:
Meanwhile, the PFA on Saturday raided and sealed H&A Quality Chicken, located in Harbanspura area of the city.
PFA Director Operations Ayesha Mumtaz, accompanied by special squad of the authority, visited the entire premises and found wounded chickens, slaughtering of unhealthy and ‘half-dead’ chickens and no sign of blood in blood trickling area.
Furthermore, despite having automated slaughtering system, manual method was being used without any plausible justification.
The management also failed to provide record and evidence that could separate dead chickens from meat of live ones while it was also charged with poor tagging of meat.
The authority launched an FIR against the 3 persons including the owner and arrested them.