Implement food safety act with iron hand: Mohindra

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab health department on Friday instructed the district health authorities to implement Food Safety and Standards Act with “iron hand”.

The department also asked them to act against big food and beverages operators besides the small food shops and street vendors over complaints of adulteration.

Chairing a state-level review meeting of the food and drug administration officials here, state health minister Brahm Mohindra said it is the health department’s prime duty to ensure health and hygiene of citizens by supply of nutritious and unadulterated food.

There should be zero tolerance against adulteration of food items and all complaints of the citizens in this regard must be addressed within the stipulated time, he said.

Mohindra exhorted food safety officers not to confine their activities only to raiding food shops, instead they should concentrate on “acting against the miscreants who are playing with life of people”.

The health minister instructed officials to ensure sampling of items consumed by the citizens such as milk and dairy products.

Terming adulteration as a serious issue which is directly linked with health and hygiene of the citizen, Mohindra directed the officials concerned that henceforth, canteens in government sector should also be screened.