Visakhapatnam: Practice of selling food products and other consumable goods without mentioning the manufacturing date and expiry period remains unchecked in the city.
According to the Section 27 III (B) of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, a trader is not supposed to sell any consumable product after its expiry date ends. But, many traders in the city seems to have been violating the Act.
As per the rules of Packaged Commodities (Regulation) Order, sale of packaged commodities without details such as date of manufacturing, maximum retail price, producer's name and address shall have to be banned from sale.
Despite a series of warnings and cases as per the Act filed by the enforcement agencies like Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA), Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), the illegal practice by some traders is continuing at areas like Madhurawada, Peda Waltair, Kancharapalem, Gajuwaka, Poorna Market and MVP Colony among others.
Many innocent people, particularly those living in the slums and the customers of super markets get cheated from the traders in the guise of attractive discounts and offers.
A consumer P Radhika from Peda Waltair said “She was also once cheated by a super market two weeks ago. I sent my kids to fruit drinks. The super market people sold expired drinks to my kids by giving nearly 40% discount on the MRP.”
“Of course, I had returned the goods, but what about the plight of people who do not aware of all these rules?” Radhika questions.
Recently on June 30 at 1 pm at Kancharapalem, NA Reddy, a citizen and representative of We Care U Welfare Society, found a group of youth selling caskets of soft drinks without proper manufacturing information and expiry date by offering a huge discount.
Reddy, who had even posted the illegal practice at the social media platforms like Facebook to bring awareness among the people, said “I found the sale of soft drink bottles on the road and many people purchased due to its discount. When checked, many drink bottles do not have proper product information. I lodged a complaint with nearby Kancharapalem police station too.” Speaking to TOI, food inspector of food safety department of GVMC, M Koteswara Rao, said that they have filed cases against soft-drink traders.
Rao said that they registered nearly six such cases against the traders who cheat people by selling the foods without expiry dates recently. According to Rao, drinks like mango juice, soft-drinks, biscuits and wheat flour among other food packets were sold by the traders at areas like Madhurada, Peda Waltair, Kancharapalem and Poorna Market according to their records and previous cases.
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