135 qtl sub-standard ration seized
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 14: The Government today ordered probe into the supply of sub-standard Atta to the consumers in Jammu city and constituted a three- member committee to conduct thorough probe into the matter, while a team of Food Safety officials seized nearly 135 quintals of rotten/ sub-standard Atta from FSC&CA stores and dealers in Jammu today.
Commissioner/ Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department, Dr Abdul Rashid said that a three- member committee headed by Joint Director, FCS&CA Jammu has been constituted to hold thorough probe into the matter. The committee has been asked to submit report within three days.
Dr Rashid further said that Deputy Director (F/R), Jammu and Assistant Director Mills will assist the JD in probe. He said samples of the stuff have been lifted by the officers of the Department in presence of Food Safety officials and the same are being sent to different labs for tests.
Director, FCS&CA, Jammu, Jatinder Singh when asked about the action taken against the Mill supplying this sub-standard stuff or the officials involved pending inquiry, said, the identity of the Mill could not be established so far as there was no proper stamps on the bags. He however, claimed that Dy Director Kulraj Singh, Assistant Director, Trade and Store Jammu and Assistant Director Mills, were on the job to establish the identity after scrutiny of the record. He claimed that the Mill will be black-listed and its identity will be established shortly. The sources in the department, however, indicated that some middle-rung officials were trying to shield the Miller providing rotten stuff.
Meanwhile a team of Food Safety officers led by Dr Parvesh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety Municipal Limit Jammu under the directions of Dr Abdul Kabir Dar, Commissioner, Food Safety, J&K, Jammu, conducted inspections of Depots/Stores of FCS & CA Department in Janipur and Bikram Chowk area and also conducted inspections of Flour Mills at Gangyal who manufacture and supply PDS Atta.
During checking two food business operators (Dealers/ Centre Store) were challaned under Section 56 and 58 of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and seized 25.5 Quintals of PDS Atta at Janipur depot and 111 Quintals at Centre Store, Bikram Chowk . Eight samples of PDS Atta were lifted from Depots/Stores of FCS & CA and Flour Mills situated at Gangyal and sent to food testing laboratory for analysis.
Follow our WhatsApp channel