LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Food Bilal Yasin has said that on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, special campaign is continuing throughout the province for ensuring safe and quality food in accordance with the hygiene principles.
He said that in order to ensure safe food, new law will be drafted within few days and enforced after approval. He said that strict action will be taken after conducting raids against those involved in preparing and selling adulterated and substandard food items and illegal, fake and substandard medicines and no leniency should be shown to them and strict action be taken against them under the law.
He expressed these views while addressing a special meeting of Divisional Food Authority and Taskforce held at Commissioner Office Rawalpindi.
Secretary Food Punjab, DG Food Dr. Sajid Chohan, RPO Rawalpindi Fakhar Sultan Raja, Director Food Muhammad Asif Bilal Lodhi, DCO Sajid Zafar Dal, Member Provincial Assembly Shahzeb Khan, ADCG Tariq Mehmood, Arif Rahim, EDO Agriculture Dr. Shahid Sajjad, officers of Health Department and ACs of district Rawalpindi attended the meeting. The Minister also addressed the meetings held by DCOs in district Jhelum, Chakwal and Attock throughout video link.
The Minister said that Divisional Food Authority comprising Members National and Provincial Assembly, commissioner, DCO, CPO and AC has been set up while at district level, Director Operation will be appointed from Health Department and action will be taken against those involved in selling unhygienic edible items after conducting raids under the supervision of DCOs. Bilal Yasin said that the crime of those selling adulterated and unhygienic food items is very serious and strict action will be taken as per law against such guilty persons during raids.
He directed that raids will be conducted on daily basis for checking food items and special focus should be paid to factories of oil, ghee, chilies and spices, chicken, meat, restaurants, bakeries and fast food centers. He said that checking operation will be conducted on the basis of secret information provided by CID and special branch and SHO of concerned police station and police force will accompany raiding teams.
He said that the campaign will be launched for providing safe food on the pattern of drive against dengue. He said that under the law being made for safe food, besides sealing shops of food items, hotels and manufacturing places, arrest along with FIR action will also be taken for complete closing of such food centers. Secretary Food also spoke on the occasion. NNI