Food safety squad to inspect water units

The Food Safety Department here has formed a special squad to carry out safety inspection at drinking water bottling units and distribution centres in the district.

An official press release said here on Monday that the squad had examined the bottling units and distribution centres and collected samples of bottled water to ensure safety of the water in view of drinking water scarcity in parts of the district. The squad had also collected 100 samples after examining public wells and water supply centres. The personnel also held checking in bars and toddy shops in association with the Excise Department. The press release said various brands of coconut oil reaching the district from Palakkad, Malappuram and Thrissur were found to have been adulterated. When the department acts against these companies, they change their names and brand names, the release said.

Is Ghazipur meat worth its salt? Food experts will decide

HIGHLIGHTS

• Delhi's poultry market based in Ghazipur Mandi is once again under scrutiny.
• The state food commissioner had visited the spot after a petition was filed in HC.
• There are over 108 licensed slaughter shops in the Capital.

With summer at its peak, Delhi's largest poultry market-based in Ghazipur Mandi is once again under close scrutiny of the Delhi government and civic agencies.

Last week, the state food commissioner had visited the spot after a petition was filed in the high court about the huge mess being created by the slaughterhouses while butchering live animals and birds.

The other civic bodies that are involved include Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Department of Animal Husbandry, Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board, East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC).

The court has directed the Delhi government and other concerned civic authorities to file their response soon.

A senior food safety officer on the condition of anonymity told Mail Today, "We have picked up raw meat and chicken samples from the Murga Mandi slaughter centres. We will test them in our laboratories to check if the non-veg that Delhiites are consuming is safe and hygienic or not. The report of the meat samples usually takes 14 days to come and we will file our reply to the court accordingly," he said.

Health experts fear the spread of contagious and deadly diseases such as bird flu. There are over 108 licensed slaughter shops in the Capital and officials suspect that other shops are running illegally.

According to the petition, there is a violation of laws laid down for the slaughter, handling and transport of animals and blatant abuse of animal welfare laws at Ghazipur Murga Mandi, leading to concern for public health and environment safety.

The laws that are violated are - Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules 2017 & Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules 2001, framed under the prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and the Food Safety & Standards (Licensing & Registration) Regulations 2011, framed under the Food Safety Standard Act, 2006.

The petition mentions that about 2.5 lakh poultry birds are traded and slaughtered every day.

"The trade and slaughter is done in a manner that is savage, sadistic, ghastly and extreme and unnecessary cruelty is inflicted on the poultry birds in the Murga Mandi. No proper waste disposal of treatment process is followed in Ghazipur Murga Mandi. It pollutes neighbouring areas and emits an offensive odour which pervades the entire neighbourhood and attracts pests."

FDA acts against water bottle company for supplying unsafe water

Action was taken after a consumer alerted the FDA that the company is not registered and something was amiss with the water taste

Following an alert consumer's letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) against a water bottle company, the government body has initiated action against the company. The samples from bottling company 'Mermaid' were tested and it was found that the water was unsafe to drink and the company was not registered under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The person who filed the complaint, Anand Pargaonkar, is also an RTI activist. He had purchased a Mermaid water bottle in Satara. After he had a sip he found something amiss with the taste and that there was no registration SSI number on the bottle. He then filed a complaint with the FDA, Mumbai which forwarded the complaint to FDA, Pune. After testing the samples it was established that the water was unsafe to drink and that the company was not registered.

Pargaonkar said, "Often we buy water or food from local vendors or stalls and even if we find anything wrong we let it go. As an alert citizen in democracy, we have the power to complain in case there's anything wrong with what we consume. This case is an example that true efforts bear fruits. I'm thankful to the FDA for their cooperation. Although this may seem a minute thing to complain about but such fraud companies are playing with our lives." Pargaonkar had filed a complaint with FDA, Mumbai on 9 March 2018.

FDA Pune inspected Shilpa Beverages private limited in Nanded Taluka, which manufactures bottled water and found that the company is not registered. On the basis of the tests undertaken and lack of registration, FDA, Pune lodged a complaint in the chief judicial office, Pune.