CUTTACK: Though one and a half months have passed since the district administration chalked out a strategy to curb the growing menace of food adulteration in the district, no step has been taken to strengthen its enforcement activities. The special squads formed for the purpose have been sitting idle for the months.
After unearthing more than 20 different kinds of food adulteration units including ghee, edible oil, paneer, s pice, sauce etc, the district administration had convened an emergency meeting with officials of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on December 2 and prepared a strategy to curb the menace by intensifying enforcement activities.
Accordingly, the administration had constituted a committee comprising CMC officials, Cuttack DCP, Cuttack (Rural) SP, Health officers and two Food Safety Officers and formed 10 squads (six for rural area and four for Cuttack city) involving the district civil supply officer (CSO) as nodal officer to carry out the drive.
It was also decided to set up two dedicated helpline numbers (one for city and another for rural areas) to facilitate consumers in informing the administration about food adulteration units in their localities. All the tehsildars were also instructed to carry out the enforcement activities in their respective areas. However, the helpline has been a non-starter.
The special squads also seem to have been sitting idle after conducting a raid on a bakery unit in Baranga block on December 4. Enforcement activities too have been stopped across the district. Residents of Tangi-Choudwar block said, “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 said the drive against food adulteration has been affected due to engagement of the officials in Covid-19 and paddy procurement duty. However, enforcement activities would be intensified from the coming week, he added.