PESHAWAR:Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Shahzad Khan Bangash has said that ensuring unadulterated and safe food in the province will reduce diseases and lessen burden on health sector. He stressed on taking steps to give incentives and encourage food businesses that were registered with Food Authority. He directed to continue action against adulteration and substandard food items.
He said this during his visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (FS&HFA) here Tuesday.
Briefing the Chief Secretary, Director General FS&HFA Shah Rukh Ali Khan said that the Authority was currently working in 22 districts of the province and soon it would be extended to six more districts. He said that the Authority was focusing on improving its technical capacity, for which work was underway to set up food testing laboratories. The DG said that seven mobile food testing laboratories at divisional level would be made operational by the end of this month and added, mobile food testing laboratories were equipped with state-of-the-art equipments that would enable the Authority to carry out on-the-spot testing of food items.
Shah Rukh Ali Khan further said that civil work on the up-gradation of Food Testing Laboratory Hayatabad was in final stage and soon food items would be tested in the facility as well.
The DG also apprised Chief Secretary about overall performance of the Authority, saying that highest number of inspections were carried out in the year 2021 compared to previous years and over 2,1700 licenses were issued.
Shah Rukh Ali Khan said that the Authority was also focusing on training and capacity building of food handlers along with inspections and added that more than 7,400 food handlers were imparted training during previous year.
It was informed that more than 62,000 food related businesses had been geo-tagged across the province.
Shah Rukh Ali said that e-licensing was launched for facilitation of food businesses and over 3,400 licenses had been issued during last one and a half month through e-licensing facility. He stated that a Complaints Cell had also been set up for redressal of public grievances regarding substandard food and adulteration and besides prompt action, feedback was also shared with complainant about the same.