Another food, drug testing lab with 20,000 samples testing capacity comes up in MP

Indore, Oct 27 (IANS) In a bid to check food adulteration, another food and drug testing lab has been opened in Indore in Madhya Pradesh.  

The lab is equipped with cult-edge technology apparatus and can test 20,000 samples in a day. While inaugurating the lab, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav issued a stern warning to food and drug adulterators and said, “Adulterers will not be spared. Strict action will be taken against anyone who plays with the health of our citizens,” he declared, standing before the newly constructed five-storey facility spanning 3,700 square feet and built at a cost exceeding Rs 8 crore.

The capacity of testing 20,000 samples annually, a significant leap from the lone facility in Bhopal, which manages only 6,000 samples per year. For the first time, mobile testing units, too, were introduced in Indore. These vans will travel across markets, rural areas, and highways, collecting samples and delivering results on the spot, ensuring rapid response to potential contamination.

Dr Yadav described the government as deeply sensitive to public health. Under his leadership, the number of food and drug testing laboratories is being expanded rapidly. After Bhopal and now Indore, the chief minister further said, a new lab will open in Jabalpur within the next three months, followed by facilities in Gwalior and Ujjain.

The Ujjain laboratory will be developed to national standards in preparation for the grand Simhastha 2028, expected to draw over 50 lakh pilgrims.

The Chief Minister announced that mobile microbiological testing units will soon be deployed across the state to detect pathogens in milk, water, and street food within hours. Eventually, every district in the state will have its own testing centre, complete with public awareness programmes and certification services under FSSAI guidelines.

He also highlighted 18 new policies to support the food processing industry, including full stamp-duty exemptions on land for cold-chain infrastructure, zero-interest loans for micro food parks, and a dedicated venture fund for women-led farmer-producer organisations. Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said a new chapter in the state’s development is being written.

--IANS

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