MIRPUR (AJK), (Parliament Time) : In the wake of an extensive month-long drive to net illegal prifiteers and hoarders of edibles, the DIstrict administration alongwith Azad Jammu Kashmir Food Authority conducted surprise raids at more than 187 different places in this lake district of Mirpur and imposed fines for over Rs 11.69 lakh on violators besides issuing warnings of stringent punitivr action against several others.
This was told in the District Price Control Committee meeting chaired by Mirpur AJK Deputy Commissioner Yasir Riaz here Wednesday.
The DC directed the magistrates not to be negligent or careless in checking to maintain price control of the commodities of daily use across the district.
“Price control is directly related to the health and lives of the common human beings which stands under a categorical principle”, he observed.
The meeting was attended among others by SSP Khurram Iqbal, Additional Deputy Commissioner General Raja Umar Tariq, Assistant Commissioner Mirpur Raja Zahid Hussain Khan, President District Bar Association Chaudhry Mahmood Hussain Plakvi Advocate, Officer Small Business Raja Ayaz Ahmed, Assistant Director Livestock Dr Khalid Qayyum Butt, DFC, Special Price Control Magistrate Raja Waseem Afzal, Inspector Instrument Measurement Ijaz Ahmed, Farmers Representative Chaudhry Shaukat Ali and others.
Emphasizing for the price control, the magistrates should make the checking system effective under the strategy including imposion of fine to the violators, sealing their businesses and getting them punished to make the punitive action an example for others. “There should be no negligence in checking the quality and maintaining the officially fixed prices of milk, yogurt, meat, groceries, vegetables, fruits and other essential items, checking petroleum products and LPG gas, checking weights and measures”, he advised and directing that those who bring substandard and defective items to the district should be strictly dealt with on the spot.
According to the data of the last month, presented in the meeting, , 79 milk samples were checked by the administration and the district Food Authority, out of which 28 samples were found to be adulterated with water. 21 milk samples were chemically tested, out of which no milk sample was found to be contaminated. 185 milk and yogurt shops were inspected. 145 restaurant kitchens, water tanks and filters were checked. In addition, various stalls in the city were also inspected.
The Deputy Commissioner instructed all the magistrates to keep price control as a priority in their duties and to conduct effective checks on the quality of food items and price control throughout the district. Shopkeepers selling items contrary to hygiene rules and not selling items as per the rates issued by the Price Control will be dealt with strictly and heavy fines and cases should be initiated against them.
Yasir Riaz said that hotels, marriage halls, food outlets, meat, poultry and other business centers manufacturing daily necessities should be checked across the district regularly and the implementation of the SOPs issued by the Food Authority should be ensured.
He further said that the magistrates, along with the police should exercise surprise checking initiating stringent immediate action against those who violate the rules. “All resources should be utilized for the provision of pure and quality edibles to the consumers in the district”, he urged.
