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Dubai: Dubai Municipality has started implementing a new rule that all vehicles carrying food items should be air-conditioned and meet food safety standards set by the civic body.
The municipality last year made it mandatory that all vehicles carrying foodstuff should be air-conditioned and gave a six-month grace period to food establishments to take necessary steps to follow the rule.
The civic body has stepped up campaign to penalise the violators after noticing that many food establishments were flouting the rules by carrying food in open pick-up trucks risking lives of people.
"Every vehicle used by a food establishment now will have to take permission from Food Department at the Municipality before registering or renewing the licence of any such vehicles," said Khalid Mohammad Sharif, Director of the Department.
He said the permission can be obtained from the municipality office at the Fruit and Vegetable Market in Warsan, where the municipality inspectors will inspect a vehicle before issuing the certificate. "We have already informed the Licensing Department at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) about the new rule," he said.
Last year, food traders and suppliers were given a six month grace period to modify their existing fleet in line with a new set of technical specifications pertaining to vehicles transporting various food items.
Since January 2008, some 3,078 vehicles have been registered after enough modifications have been done on them.
"In future, we will be taking necessary action, including issuing fines against vehicles that violate these rules. The department will cancel the vehicles' approval if they do not meet the health and hygiene requirements," Sharif said.
He said the safe transportation of food items is the key to ensuring a hygiene supply of the materials to the consumer. "Any negligence in this regard can cost the consumers dear," he said.
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