KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the provincial food authorities on a petition against unregistered RO plants.

An assistant advocate general of Sindh placed a list before the SHC regarding RO plants operating without registration and licence from the authority concerned in district central of the provincial metropolis.

The AAG said that proposed action could be initiated by the Sindh Food Authority under the relevant laws.

The AAG further contended that though the commissioner office could not act at its own, but may assist the action to be taken by the Sindh Food Authority.

The two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui issued notice to the director general of the Sindh Food Authority for Oct 6.

It also directed the AAG to pursue the matter and call an urgent reply from the food authorities and also assist the bench as to what immediate action could be taken in this regard.

The bench further directed the officials of the food authorities to file a report if one of the respondents in the petition was operating RO plant without registration or licence and if it so they must take immediate action.

170 RO plants operating in district central

According to a compliance report, filed at the outset of the hearing on behalf of the deputy commissioner central, 170 RO plants were operating in the jurisdiction of district central.

However, only 24 drinking water selling plants were registered or had applied for registration.

A doctor filed the petition against a RO plant being operated in his neighbourhood in a North Nazimabad area on the premises of a residential building and sought action against it.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2020