ISLAMABAD  - Residents of the twin cites of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are at a risk of falling prey to water-borne diseases because of the numerous roadside eateries, which are selling unhygienic food.
The sale of cut fruit and uncovered eatables is going unchecked by the concerned authorities and giving rise to contagious diseases like typhoid, cholera and gastroenteritis.
These illegal vendors, which have mushroomed at every nook and corner of the city, are serving food on stalls and small carts, and never care to serve hygienic food.
It is seen that at a few of these eateries procure contaminated water for cooking, washing and serving purposes from roadside municipality taps, which are often surrounded by garbage. The eatables are not properly covered after cooking. Even the food is cooked on the roadside. The dust and smoke emitted by vehicles make these roads a bad place for cooking food.
Dr Aftab Ali in a local Hospital said, “Eateries at school, colleges or other city points are vulnerable and one can get infected very easily by them.”
Shehzad Ali, a student said, “At least they should cover the eatables. Cooking on road particles and smoke can cause problems for the people who eat from these shops.” A private employee, Saqib Tahir said, “Even the child labour laws have not proved a deterrent for these eatery owners. How can they expect kids to wash utensils properly”? He said the health Department should look into the hygiene levels of these eateries to prevent the likely outbreak of water-borne diseases.
When an official of food quality control was contacted, he claimed that crackdowns are conducted regularly against the violators and several times strict actions were taken in this regard. He said, “We are already working on a campaign that will be launched soon to ensure people’s health. The department will identify and issue strict orders to all such eateries to cover the food items”.
An intensive awareness campaign will be run in the city for the
general public. Even people themselves must not eat at such eateries where they find that proper hygiene instructions are not followed, he added.
Meanwhile,  Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has decided not to allow any one to set up any stall in markets without permit and to launch license-checking drive of stallholders in next week.
The decision to this effect was made in a meeting of District Price Control Committee, Islamabad chaired by Deputy Commissioner, Islamabad, Amer Ali Ahmed. The meeting reviewed the prices of essential commodities and decided to further continue the on-going price checking drive in Islamabad and implement the rate list of food items issued by the District Administration.
It was decided that the CDA would issue the same rate list of food items to the CDA stallholders in the markets, which is being issued to the CDA weekly bazaars. The rate list of stallholders of markets and CDA weekly bazaars would be same. The meeting also decided to give one-week time to the stallholders of markets to display their licenses issued by the CDA failing which stern action would be taken against the offenders after passing of one week.
They are directed to also display the rate list of food items. It was also decided that the Administrator of Vegetable and Fruit Market. The Deputy Director, CDA would also attend the next meeting of Price Control Committee. The DC Ahmed informed that stability in the prices of food items would be ensured. He said that protection of the consumers’ interests would be priority of the administration and availability of fruits and vegetables would be ensured at the control rates.
It was decided in the meeting that Assistant Commissioners and Magistrates would continue price-checking drive in their areas and they would also hold meetings with the traders to solve their problems. Encroachments would also be removed from the markets and trader’s co-operation would be sought in this regard.