DG PFA notice death of three children after eating toxics candies

Lahore : Punjab Food Authority Director General Noor ul Amin Mengal has taken notice of the incident of three children’s death due to eating of noxious toffees and sought a report from the technical team.

The DG said that team has been sent to the crime scene for collecting the evidence and investigating this matter. He further said that indiscriminate action would be taken against responsible persons/ company in the light of inquiry report after submitting by the technical team regarding the death of three children in Manawa Police.

DG has also visited the services hospital and expressed a deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of three precious lives with victim family members.

Speaking on the occasion, Mengal said that PFA has immediately closed down the local shops in the 200-meter radius by serving emergency prohibition orders. Teams have also collected candies/ toffees samples as well other products which have been sent for laboratory test.

Separately, the Additional Director General (operations) Punjab Food Authority Rafia Haider has appreciated the special food safety teams for ensuring the quality of food at cooking centers and free food stalls during the three-day Urs Celebration of Madhu Lal Hussain.

On the special directions of PFA Director General Noor ul Amin Mengal, special teams were deputed in order to ensure the quality of food on the eve of Urs despite of having public holidays.

Rafia Haider said that teams have discarded huge quantity of substandard and stale quality food (like sweets, haleem) on the spot during the inspection the food quality on free food stalls in three days.

She further said that PFA is also respecting the instructions of other department and in this connection, special female staff was deputed for food checking after declaring last day for women from authority. Next year only authorized and license holder food catering companies will allow for providing food on Urs celebrations, she mentioned.

In a province-wide crackdown, PFA has closed down 31 food premises including warehouse and production units for selling banned product gutka and failed to maintain the hygienic working environment.

Besides, the teams imposed fines of Rs914300 on 135 food points during inspected hundreds of food businesses while discarded hundreds of maunds unhygienic food products during daylong activity. The purpose of the crackdown was to ensure the quality food at shops.

Food safety teams have sealed 1 food outlets in Faisalabad and Bahawalpur each, 8 food businesses in Gujranwala division, 6 in Sargodha, 4 in Multan and 6 in Rawalpindi and 3 in DG Khan.

Elsewhere, PFA has also penalised 135 food business operators over multiple food hygiene issues including Rs351500 fine was imposed on 61 food businesses in Gujranwala, Rs146000 fine on 24 in Sargodha, Rs40000 fine on 5 in Multan, Rs185300 fine on 19 shops in Rawalpindi, Rs45000 fine on 11 in Sahiwal, Rs43500 fine on 6 eateries in Faisalabad, Rs13500 fine on 6 in Bahawalpur and Rs8000 fine in Kasur.

Teams also discarded 137litres energy drinks, 24500 sachets of gutka, 440kg adulterated spices, 600kg non-food grade colour, 1100 litres chemical contaminated milk, 150kg rancid oil, 75litres skimmed milk, 250kg snacks, Chinese salt, more than 100kg sweets and many other food products.

PFA has imposed fine and sealed shops over failure to meet food standards, poor food hygiene issues and did not comply with PFA instructions. PFA has served warning notices on hundreds of food points during operation.

PFA is fully committed to ensure hygiene food in Punjab as per “Healthy Punjab” mission under its slogan “From Farm to Fork”. The crackdown will continue till the elimination of adulterates and ensure the availability and supply of healthy food in Punjab.