Dubai Municipality has received 1866 reports against food establishments since the beginning of this year, which varied between the employees not wearing masks and gloves, the lack of food quality, and some neglecting to follow health and safety procedures within the institution. The municipality’s food inspection director, Sultan Al-Taher, said that the municipality’s statistics indicate that the number of reports doubled during the months of March and April, to reach an average of 20 reports per day.
Al-Taher explained to «Emirates Today» that the municipality issued 54 warnings to food establishments, and fined 45 violating institutions, since the beginning of this year, noting that increasing the community’s awareness of the importance of the procedures applied due to the Corona virus, raised the percentage of daily reports to an average of 20 reports per day, Previously it was only 10 reports.
Al-Tahir said that during the month of January, the municipality received 358 reports, at an average of 11.5 per day, while in February it reached 371 reports, at a rate of 12.5 per day, and rose in March to reach 634 communications, at a rate of 20 per day, but during the current month (until April 25 this month) was completed 503 reports were recorded, at a rate of 20 reports daily.
He pointed out that the increase in the number of reports during the months of March and April is due to the increased awareness of people due to the procedures applied due to the Corona virus, and pointed out that the Al Barsha area topped the reports, and most of them were focused against consumer groups «Hypermarket».
Al-Taher asked all members of society to contact the Municipality's toll-free number 800 900, to report any food safety violations, for the municipality to deal with the institution immediately.
He said that the inspection teams in the municipality carry out routine inspection visits based on consumer notifications, and fines are applied according to local order No. 11 of 2003, regarding public health and community safety in the Emirate of Dubai, stressing that the fines differ according to the type of violation, and multiply by repeated.
He stated that the municipal inspectors recently carried out periodic visits to consumer complexes and popular kitchens, to ensure their commitment to preventive controls and measures, such as physical spacing, wearing masks and gloves.