Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
With the festive season approaching, the Punjab Health and Family Welfare Department, through the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), has intensified food safety enforcement across the state to ensure the availability of safe, hygienic and quality food products for consumers.
Reaffirming the Punjab Government’s commitment to public health, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said food safety remains a top priority, especially during festivals when the demand for sweets, dairy products and bakery items rises significantly.
Minister urged all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to strictly adhere to food safety regulations and maintain clean and responsible practices. He directed operators to ensure proper sourcing and handling of raw materials, maintain hygienic conditions during food preparation and avoid adulteration or substandard practices that could endanger public health. He warned that strict legal action would be taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act against those found violating food safety norms.
Providing details of the enforcement campaign, FDA Punjab Commissioner Kanwalpreet Brar said a series of targeted drives have been launched across the state. As part of a special statewide drive conducted on September 12 and 13, FDA teams collected 216 samples of paneer and khoa from various locations and sent them to the State Food Laboratory for detailed analysis.
She said legal action would be initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act and Rules against any violators once the laboratory reports are received.
Continuing its enforcement efforts, FDA teams carried out a specialised inspection campaign on September 19 and 20 targeting sweet and bakery manufacturing units across Punjab. During the drive, officials conducted 250 inspections to assess sanitary and hygienic conditions.
According to the Commissioner, 101 improvement notices were issued to food business operators found lacking compliance with prescribed standards, while 20 challans were issued on the spot for various violations.
Kanwalpreet Brar said intensive monitoring, surveillance and surprise inspections will continue throughout the festive season to ensure food safety standards are maintained. She also advised food establishments to proactively comply with statutory hygiene requirements.
The Health Department and FDA Punjab have appealed to consumers to remain vigilant and purchase sweets, dairy products and bakery items only from reliable and compliant establishments to safeguard their health during the festive season.
