CHANDIGARH:  In a major step taken towards checking the supply of adulterated and unhygienic food items all over the state  the Health department Punjab has destroyed and dumped fungus ridden 400 quintals of un-hygienically prepared pickles and murbba seized during a raid from the Ganpati Food Products Pvt. Ltd Samana in Patiala district in garbage dumping grounds at the outskirts of Samana city.

Disclosing this here Friday, Prof. Lakhsmi Kanta Chawla, Health Minister Punjab said that the premises of Ganpati Food Products were raided by the Punjab health department and found the food items stored in a large plastic water tanks. The entire stuff was full of fungus.. Later 5 samples were collected and sent them to a laboratory at Chandigarh, which found them to be adulterated and not fit for human consumption. She further said that as per the directions of the court the food items were publicly destroyed and dumped in the garbage dumping grounds.
          
Adding further the minister said that government has already taken a strict view of similar incidents occurring all over the state. Such traders would not be allowed to play with the lives of the people. They deserved stringent punishment for selling un-hygienic and adulterated food products, said Prof. Chawla.  She also said that she has separately taken up the matter with the CM Punjab to strengthen various laws to check adulteration of food products. She said that adulteration of food product tantamount to playing with the life of an individual. The Minister warned the officers/official found colluding with the culprits of dire consequences.