After
crackdown on firms selling substandard food products, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation
(SMC) said its drive would be continued throughout the year to ensure that no
low quality food was sold anywhere in the city.
An
SMC official said commissioner of the corporation GN Qasba had passed
instructions to the health officer to intensify its anti-adulteration drive
rigorously and ensure that no low quality food was sold anywhere within the
municipal limits.
Following
reports of substandard food products sold by leading business groups, the High
Court had last month directed three leading companies to deposit Rs 10 crore
each.
The
court was hearing a PIL seeking to implement the Food Safety Standards Act in
the state to check adulteration. The orders had been passed days after the
health wing of the SMC had decided to initiate legal action against several
leading business groups found selling substandard food items. The products were
found substandard after the SMC for the first time had sent samples to referral
laboratories outside the state for quality check.
Meanwhile,
a team led by SMC health officer Shafqat Khan had destroyed a large quantity of
open spices, including turmeric and fennel powder, during a market check
yesterday.
Khan
said the sale of open spices was banned under the Food Safety and Authority
Act, 2006, and no colouring agent had to be present in these spices. He said
action was taken after the SMC had received several complaints from the
Athawajan and Batamaloo areas that some unscrupulous traders were selling open
spices, which were not in conformity with rules and regulations.
“These
spices are substandard and are of low quality, which is harmful to health and
nobody will be allowed to sell this lot within the jurisdiction of municipal
limits,” Khan added.
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