September 10, 2008	Wednesday	Ramazan 09, 1429

KARACHI, Sept 9: The city government has decided to revamp the existing system of checking the sale and supply of food items, eatables and drinks at hotels, restaurants, shops and other food outlets across the city by bringing changes in the food laws.

At a meeting of the city government’s health department, which was chaired by City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal on Monday, it was resolved that efforts would be made to build the capacity of food inspectors against the quarters that indulged in the sale of adulterated food and drinking items and marketing eatables and edibles harmful to public health.

Sources privy to the meeting said that the city nazim also approved a set of amendments proposed by the EDO health office for further proceedings. The annual licence fees, which have been very nominal for long, will be increased, and hotels, restaurants and other food outlets will be required to pay the increased annual fees ranging from Rs1,200 to Rs25,000 per establishment as soon as the amendments are effected in the existing food bylaws, according to the sources.

Mr Kamal said food inspectors should be authorized to seal any business if found illegal. He said food inspectors could also seek community police help to ensure through visits on a quarterly basis that licence holders complied with all conditions of the licence and never put at stake the health of citizens. He expressed concern over the fact that at present there were only 14 food inspectors for the entire city government jurisdiction, while as per the WHO standards the city like Karachi needed about 1,800 food inspectors.

He issued directives for deputation of 50 officers from the health department as food inspectors. He said food laboratory would be upgraded and directed the officers concerned to submit recommendations in this regard within a week.

The meeting also decided to resolve the shortage of food inspectors by deputing 50 more food inspectors in the department and introducing a one-year diploma for food inspector at the Karachi Medical and Dental College.

Health EDO Dr A.D. Sajnani stressed the need for making amendments in the food bylaws prepared in 1960 citing that they had lost effectiveness over the years.

An official concerned told Dawn that groceries, ghee mills, hotels and restaurants, grinding units, bakeries, sweetshops, tea shops and packers located within the limits of the city government were required to observe the food bylaws and allow inspections and sampling to check violations.