ISLAMABAD  - Unhygienic chicken meat shops in twin cities of Islamabad Rawalpindi are playing havoc with the public’s health, and causing different diseases among the citizens while the authorities concerned are silent over the issue.
Survey conducted by this agency found that there were chicken sale shops in almost all the markets of the twin cities, which have been identified as a major source of environmental pollution in the localities due to insufficient cleaning arrangements.
Hamza, Abrar a customer, said that the garbage dumps near the shops in the markets were a potential health hazard for citizens.
He lamented, “Garbage dumps have been placed in proximity to the chicken meat shops, thereby creating unhygienic conditions in the residential area.
Ahsan Ali, another visitor of a market, said that the unbearable foul smell emanating from the filth has been compelling the people to pass by the shops with their nose covered.
The garbage dumping spots have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, especially during the rainy season. Also, as stray dogs and cats climb the garbage bins and rummage through the trash for their food, they scatter the filth all over the road, he said.
There is an acute fear of spreading mosquito related diseases. Even the vegetable vendors about the chicken meat shops are victims as they are exposed to mosquitoes. Another local resident of G-6 said, “The authorities of the Solid Waste Management seem to be least bothered about the presence of garbage bins near the chicken meat shops.
A chicken meat vendor at a market said, “Garbage van regularly visits the place for collecting garbage but even then the stench is unbearable. People are also responsible for the menace, as domestic waste dumped by them is not being segregated into dry and wet garbage before throwing them into the bins.”
Talking to this agency, Dr Baig at Polyclinic said that, “Garbage bins near the meat shops need to be immediately relocated away from the market area.”
“An unhealthy food can cause disease and infections that can pose serious risk to the health of an individual. There are several diseases like Hepatitis that can make the person suffer in terms of physical health as well as earnings,” he said.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Director Health Services of CDA, said their health directorate had a close watch on unhygienic condition at chicken shops.
“We have been conducting snap visits to the local markets. The concerned for handling the solid waste management will be informed to take necessary preventive measures and to see to it that citizens are not inconvenienced due to the menace,” the spokesman said.