With an aim to ensure a safe and health-friendly Diwali, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) of Uttar Pradesh to launch a special campaign from October 8 to October 17. Under this campaign, teams across the state have conducted 4,621 inspections, 2,085 raids, and tested 2,853 food samples.
A total of 2,993 quintals of adulterated and unhygienic food items worth Rs 3.88 crore have been seized. Material weighing 1,155 quintals, deemed unfit for human consumption, has been destroyed, valued at Rs 1.75 crore. Three FIRs have been filed in Unnao, Mathura, and Lucknow under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023.
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Dr Roshan Jacob, Secretary of the FDA, said the state government is committed to making festivals safe, clean, and enjoyable. He emphasised that perishable items are seized and destroyed on the spot to protect consumers and that there will be no compromise on citizen health during Diwali.
Key actions in the campaign include:
-Unnao: 215 kg khoya seized, FIR registered.
-Mathura: 400 kg adulterated paneer destroyed.
-Lucknow: 802 kg khoya destroyed.
-Jhansi: 1,200 kg khoya seized.
-Hathras: 790 kg adulterated pickle seized, 3,000 kg spoiled pickle destroyed.
-Bulandshahr: 3,000 kg adulterated sweets destroyed.
-Mirzapur: 1,478 kg khoya destroyed.
-Saharanpur: 1,100 kg khoya destroyed.
-Hapur: 6,000 litres of refined soybean oil seized.
-Kanpur Dehat: 500 litres of milk, 400 kg of khoya, 2,200 kg barfi, 250 kg peda, 358 kg sweet cake destroyed.
-Gorakhpur: 1,400 kg paneer and khoya seized; 1,000 litres of spoiled mustard oil destroyed.
-Meerut: 71 litres of palmolein oil and 20 kg of skimmed milk powder were seized; 35 kg of rasgulla, 180 kg paneer, and 2,500 kg khoya were destroyed.
-Etah: 340 litres of mustard oil and 900 kg of ghee destroyed.
-Kheri: 871 kg food items seized; 50 kg destroyed.
Adulterated materials worth lakhs of rupees were also destroyed in Agra, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, and Muzaffarnagar.
Significant seizures were also made at toll plazas and highways:
-Sahibabad toll: 750 kg paneer seized.
-Hapur Chhijarsi toll: 1,500 kg paneer seized.
-NH 34, GT Road, Kanpur: 4,040 kg khoya seized.
-Barabanki toll: 910 cartons of adulterated sweets seized.
-Kanpur Panki Road: 2,450 kg khoya destroyed.
The state government has urged citizens to report cases of food adulteration, counterfeit products, or organised adulteration businesses. Complaints can be registered confidentially via the toll-free number 1800-180-5533 or WhatsApp at 9793429747.
Information about counterfeit or substandard medicines can be sent to 8756128434. The government has assured strict action and confidentiality for all complainants.