PNS
DUMKA
In a massive enforcement drive aimed at safeguarding the health of millions of pilgrims attending the ongoing Shravani Mela, the Dumka district administration has clamped down heavily on food adulteration across the holy town of Basukinath. Acting on specific inputs and routine vigilance protocols, food safety authorities seized over 118 kilograms of spurious peda and confiscated large consignments of expired cold drinks from multiple commercial establishments catering to devotees.
The coordinated operation, conducted under the aegis of the district food safety wing and local law enforcement, saw rigorous inspections across 26 food outlets, sweet shops, and eateries lining the high-footfall stretch from Godam Mor and Kali Mandir Chowk to Durga Mandir Road. Deploying a Mobile Food Testing Laboratory (MFTL) for real-time verification, the testing squad screened 62 food samples on the spot, assessing the purity of peda, edible oils, curd, turmeric, chili powder, and prepared meals.
The instant tests exposed alarming violations of food safety norms. Authorities immediately confiscated and destroyed 37 kilograms of substandard peda on site, alongside 14 kilograms of adulterated turmeric powder. To prevent potential public health hazards, officials also discarded large batches of stale cooked food, including 26 liters of prepared dal, 16 kilograms of cooked vegetables, and 3 kilograms of substandard mixed spices, while slapping spot fines totaling Rs 3,000 on delinquent vendors.
The inspection team was led by Food Safety Officer Anjana Rani Minz, accompanied by personnel from the Jarmundi police station, MFTL junior analyst Shubham Kumar, and laboratory assistant Sudhansh Kumar. District officials reiterated that surveillance across all eateries, sweet vendors, and beverage stalls in the Shravani Mela zone will remain intensified around the clock, issuing a stern warning to local traders that any compromise on hygiene standards or sale of counterfeit food items will invite severe penal action under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
