District and Tehsil food Committees undertook Stringent measures to check the practice of Food Adulteration and to ensure Hygienic, Pure and Quality food products to the consumers in Bahawalpur division By Iqra Aziz

District and Tehsil food Committees undertook Stringent measures to check the practice of Food Adulteration and to ensure Hygienic, Pure and Quality food products to the consumers in Bahawalpur division

BAHAWALNAGAR/BAHAWALPUR(By Iqra Aziz/PR)During a Vigorous and Sustained Anti-Adulteration campaign:- District Food Committees conducted as many as 11946 Raids; Collected 3104 Food samples; Sealed 103 shops; got registered 114 FIRs; Arrested 52 Offenders and imposed a fine to the tune of Rs. 5.33 Million in this regard under pure food ordinance in Bahawalpur Division, during the current year.

            This was stated by Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Mr. Saqib Zafar during a video- link Conference which was held in his Office and was Presided over by Divisional Chairman Punjab food Authority MNA Mia Aalam Dad Lalika at the Office of DCO Bahawanagar.

            DCO Bahawalpur Dr. Ehtisham Anwer Mahaar; DCO Bahawalnagar; DCO Rahim Yar Khan Capt. Zafar Iqbal (Rtd); ADC Saqib Ali Ateel; Director Information Rana Ajaz Mahmood; SSP Special Branch Ameer Taimoor; SSP Traffic Gohar Mushtaq Bhutta; Additional District Collector Imrana Ajmal; EDO Agriculture Ch. Tanveer Ahmad; EDO Health Dr. Shahid Khaliq; EDO Finance and Planning Aftab Peerzada; District Officer food Arif Bukhari and other Officers and Officials of the Concerned Departments were also present in the video-link Conference.

            During the briefing Divisional Chairman, Punjab Food Authority, MNA Mia Aalam Dad Lalika was briefed in detail that to protect the Economic rights of the Consumers Notified Food Inspectors of both District and Tehsil food Committees in all the three Districts:- Bahawalpur; Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalnagar undertook Stringent measures to check the practice of Food Adulteration and to ensure Hygienic, Pure and Quality food products to the consumers in Bahawalpur division. Divisional Chairman, Punjab Food Authority, was further informed that during the second Quarter of the current year starting from March 25th to May 20th:- Notified Food Inspectors conducted as many as 5657 Raids on different Food out-lets, which include:- 3 Flour Mills; 5 Ghee Mills; 8 Chips Factories; 95 Ice Factories; 839 Hotels; 258 Bakers and 3693 other shops. Besides, 469 Milk samples and 304 samples of cold drinks were also collected. The Chairman was also informed of the details of samples of various Food items collected from different food out-lets; it was Revealed that as many as 1526 Food samples were collected from different Factories and Shops which include:- 22 Ghee Mills; 93 Ice Factories; 96 Factories; 51 Hotels; 59 Bakers and 6 Cold drink Suppliers. The Meeting was further informed that a total sum of Fine Rs. 1.25 Million was also imposed upon different Shops, Hotels and Factories:- Rs. 80 Thousand on Flour Mills; Rs. 3 Thousand on Chips Factories; Rs. 28900  on Ice Factories; Rs. 2 Lakh and 53 Thousand on Milk Factories; Rs. 2 Lakh and 40 thousand on Hotels; Rs. 2 Lakh and 40 thousand on Bakers; Rs. 50 thousand on Cold drink Manufacturers and Rs. 4 Lakh and 25 thousand on different Shopkeepers.

            The Meeting was further briefed that a total number of 93 Shops and Factories were also Sealed, which include:- 13 Cold Drink Factories; 8 Bakers; 7 Hotels; 4 Milk Factories; 3 Ice Factories; 1 Chips Factory and 7 other Shops.

            Chairman was further informed that vigorous Measures have been taken to check illegal Slaughtering. Food Inspectors conducted 4247 Raids on illegal Slaughter Houses; 1388 Kg Sub Standard Meat was Confiscated; 29 FIRs were lodged; 54 Challans were Submitted and 4 Butchers were Arrested, Besides, imposing a Fine for total sum of Rs. 7 Lakh and 5 Thousand upon Butchers.

            During the Conference Divisional Chairman Punjab Food authority MNA Mia Aalam Dad Lalika Enquired of various Measures undertaken by DCOs Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan against the operators of Ice Factories; Flour Mills; Ghee Mills and other Industrial out-lets. Both DCOs Explained to the Chairman about different Measures which have been undertaken against these Industrial units. However Chairman Mr. Lalika Emphasized  upon the concerned Officers to further focus their Attention on these industrial out-lets to evolve, effective and strong Mechanism to check the Menace of Adulteration. Chairman Mr. Lalika also raised different Queries regarding reduction in the Quantum of imposed Fine; Sealed shops; Registration of FIRs and other relevant Facts and Figures visa-vise the 1st quarter. The Concerned DCOs informed to the Chairman that due to wheat Procurement Drive and other Administrative Engagements, most of the relevant Officers were engaged to perform their duties on these Assignments. Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Saqib Zafar assured the Chairman that Bahawalpur would maintain its position amongst one of the top Best Performers to meet the targets of Anti-Adulteration campaign of the Government.

            While addressing the Meeting Divisional Chairman Punjab Food Authority MNA Mia Aalam Dad Lalika called upon all Concerned Officers to Gear up their Efforts to further Improve their Performance to Adhere to the vision of Chief Minister Punjab to ensure an Effective and comprehensive mechanism to not only save the Consumers from the Menace of Adulteration but also to ensure Delivery of Pure, Hygienic and High Standard Food products to the Consumers.