Checking food adulteration a challenge for Health Dept

Two of three sanctioned posts of food safety officer vacant in district

Patiala, October 20

Keeping a check on adulterated food during the festival season will be a challenge for the district health department, which is reeling under shortage of staff.

During the festival season, the department is expected to be extra cautious. Moreover, many food items, including cheese, have failed to meet the quality standards in Patiala. Over the past few months, a huge quantity of spurious milk, milk products and other food items were found at a number of places in the district.

The department has been reeling under shortage of food safety officers since long. Of the total three sanctioned posts of food safety officer, two are lying vacant. Most of the time, the lone officer is said to have been engaged in court cases filed by the health department. Subsequently, the drive against food adulteration gets hit. 

In October, when the festival season is at its peak, only 55 samples have been collected. The department even failed to fulfil the monthly targets of sample collection.

District Health Officer (DHO) Satinder Singh said, “Out of the three sanctioned posts of food safety officer, two are vacant. However, we are working hard to check food adulteration in the district.”

The DHO said they had raided four shops in the district on Friday and collected 10 food samples. He added that they would be conducting more raids ahead of Diwali.

Commenting on the issue of staff shortage, Kahan Singh Pannu, Chairman, Tandrust Punjab Mission, said, “It is a challenge we are facing. We have already written to the Service Selection Board and demanded around 30 more food safety officers.”