FAISALABAD, Feb 4: Food adulteration is more than ever here in the wake of a dispute between the district government and tehsil municipal administration (TMA) over jurisdiction with regard to management of the food department.

Under the devolution plan, the task of checking the quality of foodstuffs had been entrusted to the district government. However, despite the clear cut provision in the Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001, the TMA refused to transfer the food inspectors to the district government.

After lengthy correspondence, the district government forced the TMA to relieve the food inspectors with effect from Jan 1. However, the food laboratories and other equipment have still not been handed over to the district government. The district government has also not taken any practical step for formally assigning the inspectors duties and launching a campaign against adulterators.

Hoarders and black-marketers took advantage of the dispute. Illegal factories are producing adulterated red chillies, garlic powder, wheat flour, gram powder and spices in different parts of the city while scores of shopkeepers and hoteliers are selling adulterated foodstuffs in the form of burgers and samosas and labelling harmful juices with trademarks of national and multinational companies.

Food inspectors are of the view that they have no power to raid any factory until they receive instructions from the EDO health. However, the EDO for health claimed that there was no restriction on the food inspectors who, he added, were deliberately trying to sabotage the system.

SHOT DEAD: A boy was shot dead by two persons over a minor dispute in the Chak 398-GB bazaar.