Unhygienic food: three marriage halls sealed

LAHORE:The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Sunday launched an inspection operation against wedding halls in the provincial metropolis and sealed three halls while punished 20 with hefty fines besides serving improvement notices on 15 halls.

The operation was carried out in the area of Gulshan Ravi, Garden Town, Barkat Market, Ferozepur Road and Gulberg.

PFA Director General Irfan Memon led the whole operation and took indiscriminate action against food business operators. The teams thoroughly examined the kitchens, production areas, warehouses and other sections of the halls.

The PFA teams shut down Prince Hall in Garden Town, Millan Marriage Hall in Gulshan Ravi and Shadmani Banquet Hall in Gulberg.

Irfan Memon said that that the authority sealed the wedding halls for using expired meat, rotten vegetables and loose adulterated spices in preparation of food dishes. Furthermore, the teams also witnessed the presence of stale food, washroom in the kitchen areas, an abundance of insects and the worst condition of hygiene.

He said the food authority had imposed fine on Gracious Banquet Hall, Topaz Event Complex, Zafar Cooking and Food Supply, Liberty Castle Banquet Hall, Taj Mahal, Empire Signature Marquee, Aiwan-e-Akbari Marriage Hall, Dream Palace, Qasar e Ameer, Marwa Banquet Hall, Course Event and Waiting, Noor Jahan Banquet Hall, Sapphire Hall, Gourmet Kitchen, New Chandni Hall, Gulshan Banquet and Topaz Marque. The PFA issued warnings to 15 wedding halls, asking them to improve hygiene conditions, he added. Irfan Memon said that PFA was also devising a system to dispose of leftover food of wedding halls daily. Excessive/leftover food will be delivered to deserving people rather than storing or wasting it, he added.