PNS | DEHRADUN
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed the Health department to take strict measures against those selling adulterated products during the festival of Holi. The department has also launched a Statewide campaign to tackle food adulteration issues that increase manifold ahead of big festivals like Holi. The commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA), R Rajesh Kumar said that the department is conducting raids across the State and have deployed mobile inspection teams to curb adulteration.
The department has also directed shopkeepers and people concerned to ensure quality food products for the public. The deputy commissioner of FDA Tajber Singh Jaggi said that raids are ongoing in both Garhwal and Kumaon regions and a vigilance cell has also been set up to act on complaints and conduct surveillance. Besides this, each district has a designated nodal officer overseeing inspections at various establishments. Food inspectors are collecting samples and using mobile testing units for on the spot checks, Singh said.
He informed that FDA officials are carrying out intensive testing of dairy products such as mawa, paneer and khoya in key districts like Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar. The State administration is also coordinating with food safety officials from neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh to conduct joint operations at State borders. Singh said that the officials are inspecting dairy products arriving in Dehradun district at Asharodi to prevent entry of adulterated products. Since the department often receives significant complaints from Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar districts, the food safety officers are carrying out extensive checks and sampling of food products there, he added.
