JMC continues drive against adulteration

JAMMU: Health and Sanitation Wing of Jammu Municipal Corporation launched a continued drive against menace of adulteration in commonly used food items during the ongoing Amarnath Yatra and Holy Month of Ramzan. The drive is planned under the supervision of Health Officer JMC, Dr. Mohammad Saleem Khan on the directions of Commissioner JMC.

The teams inspected various food establishments like hotel, restaurants, meat and chicken shops, provisional stores, Bakery shops, food stalls, Sabzi vendors, fruit juice corners / vendors, tea stalls, ice cream corners, etc. at Jewel, Below Gummat, Jammu Haat, Gujjar Nagar, Talab Khatikan, Bikram Chowk, Gandhi Nagar, Nai Basti etc. of Jammu city.

During the drive, 200 ltrs of Jaljeera and 10 Kgs of cut fruits found sub-standard were destroyed on spot. The team also seized about 15 Kgs of polythene bags. A fine of Rs. 5,900 was imposed on defaulters. During the round, eight persons were booked under COTP Act 2003 and a fine of Rs. 1,000 was imposed as penalty from the defaulters and citizens were advised not to smoke in public places as it is injurious to health and a punishable offence.

The Health Officer of JMC, Dr. Mohammad Saleem Khan appealed to all the food business operators not to sell any type of unhygienic food items not conforming to prescribed quality and standards which can put the public health to danger, otherwise stringent action under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 shall be taken against the defaulters. Moreover all the food business operators dealing with milk and its products are strictly warned not to sell adulterated milk and its products.

The Health Officer advised the shopkeepers to cover their sweets and other eatable items, so that they are not exposed to dust and flies and not to use colours for preparing sweets. Their workshops should be neat and clean failing which action under law will be initiated against them.

The drive will continue and the people were requested to co-operate with the Jammu Municipal Corporation to make the drive a success.