3,266 stores closed in Amman for health violations — GAM

AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) closed down a total of 3,266 stores since the beginning of this year for failing to abide by health regulations, a municipality official said on Wednesday. 

Mervat Mheirat, director of GAM’s health supervision department, said GAM teams focus on stores that might endanger public health. 

“We focus on restaurants, and stores selling water and other beverages,” Mheirat told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

GAM teams destroyed a total of 4,900 tonnes of food items found unfit for human consumption at the Ghabawi Landfill and 2,170 tonnes in the field this year, according to a GAM statement. 

The teams also destroyed a total of 31,000 litres of various liquids, the statement said. 

Mheirat said GAM health inspectors conducted 120,000 field visits, issuing a total of 16,000 warnings for commercial establishments, adding that municipality teams dealt with 3,900 public health complaints.

“The number of health violations increase on occasions like Eid and Ramadan, and during summer, because the demand for food and water increases,” she added. 

Mheirat called on storeowners to download the new mobile application, called GAM, launched by the municipality recently to post their feedback about health inspectors’ performance and provide suggestions that can help enhance their work.