By Rana Kashif

LAHORE: The Food Department of the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has started a campaign to create awareness among the masses to destroy disposable soft drink bottles after use to avoid their being refilled with fake drinks that can damage health.

A district food department official told Daily Times on Sunday that the sale of fake drinks in the used bottles of international brands was on the rise in the city. He said such businessmen hired scavengers, to collect plastic and glass bottles from heaps of rubbish and CDGL containers and reused them. The scavengers sell the bottles to businesses, after which the plastic bottles are recycled, however, the glass bottles are rinsed, refilled and sold. The official said that the Food Department had confiscated over 6,000 fake bottles from different parts of the city, adding that the department had been launching campaigns to stop their sale for years.

Meanwhile, consumers regularly face difficulty in finding original soft drinks, especially with the increase in their demand during the Ramazan season. A consumer, Muhammad Abid, said: “If you want to ensure that the soft drinks you are buying are real, then they should be purchased from a reputable shop otherwise there is no guarantee.”

Health: General Hospital Additional Medical Superintendent (AMS) Dr Ziaullah Cheema told Daily Times that fake drinks directly affected the stomach, which could result in multiple complications, including acidity, indigestion, diarrhea, dysentery as well as dental problems. Fake drinks also carry the risk of hepatitis and jaundice, he added.

Disposal: District Food Officer Dr Masood Ashraf said that, “The department has confiscated a large number of counterfeit drinks from different parts of the city. During the last two days the department has confiscated more than 3,000 such drinks which, besides being fake, were filled in used bottles.”

To questioning on the department launching unsuccessful campaigns for many years, he replied, “It is correct, but one of the major reasons is that there is no proper awareness among the masses about how to dispose of the bottles.” He said that plastic bottles should be destroyed by making holes in them and glass bottles should be broken from the neck.

He said that the department, on the directions of the district co-ordination officer, had started a formal campaign to create awareness among the masses. He also said that the campaign was being launched through television, radio, pamphlets, seminars and banners apprising citizens on how to destroy used bottles. He added that cases been registered against those found involved in the illegal business.

dailytimes.com.pk