Enforcement squads sit idle, meals adulteration goes unabated in Cuttack
2 min read By Express News Service
CUTTACK: Though one and a half months have handed for the reason that district administration chalked out a technique to curb the rising menace of meals adulteration within the district, no step has been taken to strengthen its enforcement actions. The particular squads fashioned for the aim have been sitting idle for the months.
After unearthing greater than 20 completely different sorts of meals adulteration models together with ghee, edible oil, paneer, s pice, sauce and many others, the district administration had convened an emergency assembly with officers of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on December 2 and ready a technique to curb the menace by intensifying enforcement actions.
Accordingly, the administration had constituted a committee comprising CMC officers, Cuttack DCP, Cuttack (Rural) SP, Health officers and two Food Safety Officers and fashioned 10 squads (six for rural space and 4 for Cuttack metropolis) involving the district civil provide officer (CSO) as nodal officer to hold out the drive.
It was additionally determined to arrange two devoted helpline numbers (one for metropolis and one other for rural areas) to facilitate shoppers in informing the administration about meals adulteration models of their localities. All the tehsildars had been additionally instructed to hold out the enforcement actions of their respective areas. However, the helpline has been a non-starter.
The particular squads additionally appear to have been sitting idle after conducting a raid on a bakery unit in Baranga block on December 4. Enforcement actions too have been stopped throughout the district. Residents of Tangi-Choudwar block mentioned, “We have never seen our food safety officers nor do we know their mobile phone numbers to inform about the illegal activities. If a dedicated telephone number is provided, we would be able to share information about food adulteration in our localities.”
Collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani mentioned the drive in opposition to meals adulteration has been affected resulting from engagement of the officers in Covid-19 and paddy procurement responsibility. However, enforcement actions can be intensified from the approaching week, he added.
