Srinagar, January 5
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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