UPFDA crackdown on adulteration in UP

The newly-constituted Uttar Pradesh Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has undertaken a massive campaign against unscrupulous traders dealing in adulterated goods.

The campaign will continue till October 24 all over the state to check the trade of adulterated mustard oil and other food products, including ghee and milk.

So far, FDA had conducted 371 raids collecting almost 1,200 samples, and arrested 59 culprits in the state, FDA department principal secretary Desh Deepak Verma said.

Besides, under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, raids were conducted in Rampur, Moradabad, Aligarh, Gorakhpur, Bulandshahr, Agra, Mirzapur, Bijnore, Faizabad and Basti districts to check illegal drugs trade.

Medicines and drugs worth Rs 30 lakh were seized and 14 drug dealers arrested, while 7 culprits were still absconding and efforts were being made to nab them, Verma said.

Almost 1.2 lakh litres of adulterated mustard oil and thousands of kg of food items were seized by the FDA raid teams in the state.

The Lucknow market alone accounts for the maximum seizure of adulterated stuff.

A large quantity of adulterated item was also found abandoned at bus terminals in some eastern UP districts and the authorities suspect the connivance of transport department staff in the illegal trade.

In this regard, the state transport department managing director will be apprised for necessary penal action.