UP Cracks Down on Adulterated Food During Diwali; Rs 8 Crore Goods Seized

On the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh government has launched a stringent campaign to curb food adulteration across the state during the festive season. The campaign, conducted from October 8 to 17 under the ‘Diwali Special Campaign’, aimed to safeguard public health by ensuring that sweets, milk, ghee, oil, spices, dry fruits, and other festive food items are pure and safe for consumption.

Under the campaign, enforcement teams of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), directed by Commissioner Dr Roshan Jacob, carried out 6,075 inspections and 2,740 raids across various districts. 

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During this period, 3,767 samples were collected for testing, and 3,548 quintals of adulterated or suspicious material, valued at approximately Rs 4.97 crore, were seized. An additional 1,871 quintals of harmful material, worth around Rs 2.89 crore, were destroyed. In total, adulterated goods worth nearly Rs 8 crore were seized and destroyed.

Dr Jacob stated that the campaign was designed to protect consumers while avoiding unnecessary inconvenience to small vendors or street hawkers. Legal action is being taken against culprits, including FIRs under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. In cases of organised adulteration, recommendations for action under the Gangster Act or Arms Act are being sent to the concerned District Magistrates.

The campaign also included hygiene inspections, assessment of raw material storage, and quality checks. Improvement notices have been issued to establishments that failed to meet standards, with licence suspensions planned for non-compliance.

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Additionally, all food business operators have been instructed to display a ‘Food Safety Sticker’ containing the establishment’s name, contact number, departmental toll-free number, and a QR code for consumers to lodge complaints or provide feedback.

The Yogi government has directed district-level enforcement teams to remain vigilant even after Diwali, to make Uttar Pradesh an ‘Adulteration-Free State’. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasised that festivals should symbolise purity, transparency, and public health protection.