Traditional kitchens that prepare iftar for Ramadan tents in Dubai are under the scrutiny of the Dubai Municipality to ensure a pest-free environment.
A senior official on Thursday told Gulf News that kitchens would be fined if they do not have a contract with an approved pest control company.
If there is any pest infestation in them despite the contract, the pest control company will be fined for failing to prevent the environment from being pest-free, said Hisham Abdul Rahman Al Yahya, head of the pest control section at the municipality’s Public Health Services Department.
The fines start from Dh400 and the penalties can go up to the closure of the company, apart from fines depending on the gravity of the violation, he said.
“It is important to make sure there is no pest infestation going from these kitchens to the iftar tents. We are conducting inspections to find out if there is any pest infestation,” Yahya noted.
The official was speaking after the announcement of a free pest-control campaign in and around charity Ramadan tents in Dubai.
“This is an annual campaign that we conduct in association with the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai during every Ramadan. This time, the department has identified 108 Ramadan tents for our service,” said Yahya.
The official said 15 teams from his section have been assigned to ensure there is no presence of pests in and around these iftar tents.
Ramadan tents in Dubai hotels are supervised by the Food Safety Department of the Dubai Municipality. “If there is any [pest control] violation, we will be informed,” he added.
Source: Gulf News
