Action against vendors selling unhygienic food demanded

Islamabad:Residents of the federal capital on Sunday demanded that the authorities concerned should take strict action against the open sale of unhygienic and leftover food items in several streets and markets during the Coronavirus critical situation which is leading to severe medical complications among citizens.

Citizens’ complaints have stated that there was no check and balance on these items; therefore, vendors have been allowed to make a profit off them. According to Citizens nowadays, traveling through the streets we came across a fair amount of street vendors selling different types of food without ensuring its hygiene and they do not understand that their unhygienic food can become a health hazard, especially in Coronavirus.

Muhammad Bilal resident of F-6/1 while talking to this agency said that many roadside vendors do not cover food items, which attract flies and germs so the consumers should avoid uncovered food.

It should be made compulsory to cover the food so that they are not exposed to insects. Vendors should ensure that every food item they serve is prepared in hygienic conditions, he said, adding, they should voluntarily adopt hygienic measures to improve the quality of the food served.

Asma Shifa, a housewife said, habits of food vendors such as not washing their hands, not covering their hair, use of contaminated water, slime layer on the poorly cleaned utensil and improper handling of food should be brought under check by the legislation as we already feared about Covid-19. Vendors who violate the norms should be penalised.

There should be a regulatory body to keep a vigilant eye on them. Each fruit seller must be provided a license to sell fruits and salad, she demanded. A citizen, Rauf Israr, said there should be a constant check on the sale of unhygienic food items.

Authority concerned officials should come out to keep a check on unhygienic food items openly sold in every nook and corner of the city. A medical expert, Dr I Q Baig, also claimed that the number of infectious diseases increases due to the sale of unhygienic ally-prepared foods and drinks.

And he says there should be an immediate ban on the sale of unhygienic foodstuffs, especially in streets where kids are playing. The vendors are more focused on their business rather than the public health, he added.

According to the health administration, they will soon launch a special awareness campaign for the citizens to discourage the sale of unhygienic food items in the streets as we have a serious concern with the health of citizens, especially in this Covid-19 situation.