2 weeks Ago By M. FASEEH HASSAN
Gujar khan - The repetition of food poisoning incidents at marriage parties and other food outlets in Gujar Khan exposes ineffectuality of the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on the other hand the number of victims in the Dhoong village food poisoning during the marriage party has crosses 975. On Sunday evening, a large number of guests were served meals and they started complaining of intestinal disorders followed by diarrhea and nonstop vomiting. According to the local sources, the marriage party at the private premises, in the Dhoong village in Gujar Khan tehsil, served meals cooked by the local vender and the water tanks were also provided by him.
Almost all the guests suffered the same issue of intestinal disorders and the rapid increase of cases reported at BHU Dhoong alarmed the assistant commissioner Gujar Khan, who rushed to the locality and arranging ambulances and additional doctors ordered shifting of pateints to RHC Daultala, THQ Gujar Khan, and some more serious pateints were also shifted to Rawalpindi hospitals. The number of victims crossed 900 and according to Malik Tasawar, a local newsman, over 975 patents have been registered in the hospitals by Tuesday afternoon and further surge cannont be ruled out. Dysfunctional fountains get attention of city managers after a decade long neglect Kaleem Ullah Bhatti, a prominent lawyer of Gujar Khan while talking to The Nation said that on Oct15/16, 2024 over 200 guests and customers in a marriage party and a restaurant, at different locations of Mohra Aheer and Sahng villages respectively, were affected by food poisoning while another incident of selling contaminated Shwarma in Gujar Khan city had taken life of one and risked lives of dozens others.
Mr Bhatti said that the repetition of such incidents in Gujar Khan area was raising questions on the performance of the Punjab Food Authority. He further alleged that many a marriage halls, and food outlets and even manufacturers of foods and meals items were running kitchens and food stores in close vicinity of toilets with common corridors and no action was being taken. Malik Tasawar, the resident of Dhoong village also pointed out that the drinking water supplied to the marriage ceremony was also doubtful as some guests who only drank water at the venue, suffered the same fate.
Retired SP, son, brother-in-law found involved in murder of Hamza Mr Adnan district officer, PFA, when contacted for his comments on situation, he said that the catering outlet has been sealed and fine imposed while an FIR has been registered and samples of patients were also taken. Samples of patients’ stool, blood and stomach for forensic analysis are have also been taken for examination. When asked about the implementation of the food and catering SOPs at the outlets, the deputy director PFA asserted, “the said SOPs are already in place, and there is a strict monitoring mechanism.
However, in this case, as per the statements of affectees, the food was prepared at the place of the event and not at the kitchen of catering. Still, it is sealed as he was not following certain SOPs.” When questioned about the close proximity of washrooms and kitchens in the marriage halls and other food outlets, the officer said that such violation was not tolerable and the kitchen as well as the business are sealed straightaway in such instances.
Housing ministry unveils first draft of National Housing Policy When asked about the pre-condition of holding license for running cooking and catering business, Mr Adnan Akram said that the license of food authority is mandatory for food preparation and manufacturing catering businesses. Kaleem Ullah Bhatti, advocate, also suggested that the possession of proper education and training at diploma level must be made requisite for attaining a license of food and meals manufacturing at commercial scale. The residents have urged upon the chief minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif to take notice of situation and direct for revising and implementing SOPs of PFA to avert perpetration of hazards to the public health.
Tags: food poisoning incidents.
