Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Drive against adulteration of sweets has been intensified in Punjab with state government launching statewide raids on shops, godowns suspected to be selling/storing/manufacturing such products. The Punjab government acting tough with all those selling adulterated and contaminated food items and playing havoc with the human lives has collected 17917 samples from 2011 till date and sent them for detailed analysis.
Disclosing this here today Punjab health and Family Welfare Minister Mr. Surjeet Kumar Jayani said that the government has already launched an aggressive campaign against the sale of adulterated food items including sweets, khoya and other milk especially during the ongoing festival season. He also said that the government has collected 17917 samples so far and after getting them examined in the hi-tech labs found as many as 2167 sampled failed. He also said that with a view to ensuring purity in the sweets and other eatables over 2000 traders have been inspected by the Department of Food and Supplies across the state. A staggering 500 traders were prosecuted for selling commodities in violation of health and safety norms.
Meanwhile, in Punjab officials seized adulterated goods worth Rs 1 crore. The Minister also said that from April 2014 till date out of the collected 3904 samples about 694 samples failed.
To keep strict vigil on the milk products and khoya coming from other states, the Minister said that all the entry points including the railway stations, bus stands have been guarded against adulterated food items. The adulterated food items would be destroyed there and then by the special task force deputed at various sensitive points, said Mr. Jayani.
Cautioning the people to be vigilant against adulteration, the Minister said that when the filter paper is put on the sample if the top layer leaves a mark on the paper, the sweet is adulterated and the people should report such instances so that appropriate action could be taken against the erring food sellers. As many as 260 cases against the erring food sellers have been lodged in the courts and the government has recovered Rs. 67 lakh 88 thousand as penalty from such shopkeepers.
Adding further Mr. Jayani said that according to the Food Safety and Standards Act, the punishment for selling adulterated food is seven years imprisonment and a Rs 10 lakh fine. For selling sub-standard food you could face a maximum fine of Rs 10 lakh. And for death caused by adulterated food, the offender could face seven years jail term to life imprisonment. He has asked the officers of the department to remain cautious against the sale of unsafe food in the state.
The Minister also said that the government has initiated the online registration and obtaining online license for the small scale and whole sale retailers of food items.
