PESHAWAR: The provincial health department has approved a summary for setting up a food testing laboratory in the provincial capital at a cost of Rs142 million.

Director General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority Shahrukh Ali Khan told Dawn that the health minister had approved the summary in a meeting held on Friday.

He said the summary would now be placed before the chief minister for approval. After getting nod from the CM, the document would be sent to the Provincial Development Working Party for final approval, he added.

He said the food testing lab to be set up in Hayatabad would be completed within three years.

The food authority DG said the chief minister had also approved a proposal to set up two mobile food testing labs at a cost of Rs2 million. One mobile lab unit would be deployed in Dera Ismail Khan and the other in Swat, he added.

Section 22 (1) of the KP Food Safety and Halal Food Authority Act, 2014, provides for establishment of food laboratories in the province for carrying out analysis of samples of any food or food-related equipment or utensils. Section 22 (2) provides for establishment of a reference food laboratory for purpose of appeal or otherwise.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2021