PESHAWAR, Jan 11: Shopkeepers here have complained that the food and sanitary inspectors collect samples of eatables from their outlets in violation of the relevant law. The inspectors sent the samples for laboratory analysis, although they were not empowered to do so, sources said.

“The inspectors collect samples from the shopkeepers and send these to the Government Public Health Food Analysis Laboratory. As a rule, these sealed samples should carry the signatures of the inspectors and the shopkeepers,” said an official of the health department. He said there were complaints that the samples were tampered with.

The shopkeepers alleged that a large number of inspectors working under the food and health department and cantonment boards harassed them, mill owners and soft-drink sellers in violation of the Pure Food Ordinance, 1960. The ordinance states that a director may exercise the powers of an inspector and any assistant director or other officer may exercise such powers within an area as directed by the director in writing.

According to the ordinance, only the health officers can perform such functions, whereas the sanitary inspectors in BPS-6 do not fall in the category.

According to the rules, the sanitary inspectors are required to take care of cleanliness, take preventive steps against the outbreak of epidemics and kill stray dogs, etc. These inspectors should not be permanent employees but ex-officio.

Food inspectors are also not authorised to collect samples.

Some of the districts, like Dir, Mingora and Malakand, do not have such inspectors.

An official in the provincial health department said that a few years back an inspector had mixed ash in a sample of spices to implicate a Mardan-based dealer. When the matter was investigated, the blame was put on a peon and he was suspended.

However, the shopkeepers alleged that the food inspectors collected samples of edible oil, milk and tea, which could be easily adulterated. They alleged that the samples were not being collected from those shopkeepers who bribed the officials.