NAWASHAHR: Acting tough against 27 food business operators in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, for not meeting the standards laid under Food Safety and Standards Act, Anupam Kler, ADC (G) cum Adjudicating officer (Food Safety) has slapped a fine of Rs 4.01 lakh.
Disclosing the details, Assistant Commissioner (Food) Manoj Khosla said that these food business operators could not meet the various standards of the Act viz; sub-standard quality, mis-branded and expiry products. These food outlets were found accused of selling sub standard/misbranded/Expiry and misleading food items that were got tested from the state food lab.
Even two major traders, Right Price Store Banga and Adahar Wholesale Balachaur fined to the tune of Rs. 50000 each for sale of misleading Ghee, expiry turmeric and chilly powder, maslal vada and mix vada etc. Similarly, Nawanshahjr based Jain Agencies fined with an amount of Rs 50000 for expiry and mis-branded desi ghee while Gujrat based Louis Dryful Company slapped with a fine of Rs 25000 for manufacturing mis-branded refined oil. Bala Ji Patisa Jindwal near Banga asked to deposit a fine of Rs. 30000 for substandard Khoya Burfi and Milk Cake. Lucky General Store Rahon Road Nawanshahr slapped with a fine of Rs 15000 for expiry biscuits while Prem Juice Bar Rahon with Rs 15000 for expiry cold drink.
Khosla added that food safety officers Smt. Rakhi Vinayak and Sangeeta Sehdev had taken samples of various food articles like Desi Ghee, Milk, Sweets, Ice Cream, Biscuits, Snacks, Salt Powders, Cold Drinks, Warian, etc. from various outlets of the district. Under Food Safety and Standards Act, the items which were declared Substandard/misbranded/Expiry/Banned and misleading after analysis by state Food Lab, all the cases were filed in the said court.
He further said that under mission Tandrust Punjab a drive to curb adulteration in food stuff is already going on under the directions of Sh. Kahan Singh Pannu Commissioner, Food & Drug Administration, Punjab and Sh. Vinay Bublani, Deputy Commissioner, SBS Nagar.