Post Festivals Food Safety Teams Continue Inspections

Chandigarh, November 25, 2018: Breaking the past practice of checking of food samples only during the festival season, Food Safety Wing of the Punjab Health Department has continued with the inspections and sampling process, informed KS Pannu, Commissioner Food and Drug Administration-cum-Mission Director Tandrust Punjab.

“Continuing with the resolve against food adulteration in Punjab, we have not lowered the guard post festive season,” said Pannu and added that department has conducted incessant raids even after Diwali. Inspection data reveals that as many as 347 Food Safety Inspections have been conducted in the last 12 days sending a clear message to Food Business Operators that government will not tolerate adulteration of food items. In all 35 samples of milk, 10 of paneer, 16 of ghee, dahi 5, khoya 12 and 269 samples of other edibles have been collected.

The samples are being analyzed at the State -of - Art Food Lab at Kharar which is equipped with latest high tech food analysing machines.

Samples declared substandard by the lab are referred to ADCs for imposing appropriate financial penalty to the food operator. The penalty imposed could be up to Rs 10 lac, said Pannu. He also informed that the samples found unsafe are referred to judicial magistrate who can impose penalty of imprisonment up to six years to the food operator.

Mr.Pannu reiterated that Punjab Government is committed to provide safe food, clean air and water to the people of Punjab under Mission Tandrust Punjab.