PFA checks 2,277 food business operators in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi: Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has checked 2,277 Food Business Operators (FBOs) in Rawalpindi said Commissioner (Rawal­pindi Division) Liaquat Ali Chatta. He informed that PFA had launched the ‘Safe Food City’ project to ensure provision of hygienic food items through daily monitoring and checking. The project was launched on September 1 and would continue by the end of December, this year, he said adding, the FBOs were selected from main areas across the city and checking of 2,277 FBOs was conducted in Rawalpindi city. The quality of food items being supplied to the citizens by the FBOs was being checked regularly, he said.

It is our duty to provide clean and healthy food to the citizens, the Commissioner said. He said that the authorities concerned had also been directed to further improve food checking process in Murree and special TORs should be formulated for Murree. The medial tests of the restaurant workers would also be conducted, he informed. Over 200 food zones were set up in Rawalpindi district for Safe Food Zone Project, he said and informed that there are 4,614 FBOs in the zones which would be inspected multiple times to ensure the provision of quality food items to the citizens.

The vision of providing clean and quality food items to the people was being implemented, Liaquat Ali Chatta said. He said the purpose of launching the ‘Safe Food City’ project was to ensure the supply of quality food to consumers. Daily monitoring and checking of all food items, especially milk, yogurt, and meat was being ensured under the project, he added. The district administration was making efforts to provide better food commodities to people, and in this connection was conducting surprise checks at food outlets and shops.

According to Food Department officials during the last 24 hours, 34 vehicles carrying 155,500 litres of milk were checked on Murree Expressway and Islamabad Toll Plaza. Out of these, 26 were passed while eight vehicles were found to be of substandard milk. Fines amounting to Rs135,000 were imposed on the rules violators. The officials further informed that over 1,932 raids were conducted during September to check the quality of food items. As many as 1,595 notices were issued while fines amounting to Rs2.085 million were imposed on the violators.