LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Monday sought a departmental inquiry by the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department against those involved in giving unhygienic food to the mentally challenged persons/patients at the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH).

The move came after a PFA team, led by Food Minister Bilal Yaseen and Director General Noorul Amin Mengal, inspected the PIMH’s cafeteria and caught the contractors red-handed while getting the unhygienic meat cooked for the patients in the morning. The team also had the contractors arrested and lodged an FIR against them. About 150kg unhygienic meat was also seized.

In a letter by the PFA DG to Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah the authority expressed concern over the situation at the PIMH.

“During the visit, the condition of kitchen area and the state of food handlers preparing food was regrettably very poor as evidenced by pictures enclosed. The traceability of the food items in store and in use was found wanting and not up to the standards laid down in the pure food rules,” reads the letter.

It terms the matter as of grave concern, stating that the meat brought in on the same day was not fresh at all. The food handlers didn’t have medical certificates.

“It is requested that a departmental inquiry may be initiated against those responsible for the lapse and disciplinary action must be taken against those found guilty,” the letter concludes.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2017