In trouble for Nestle India, sale of its popular instant noodles Maggi was today banned in the national capital for 15 days for containing "excessive lead" and the company has been told to withdraw the entire stock from the city urgently.
Announcing the decision, Delhi government said it is going to carry out lab testing of all other noodles being sold in the city currently under various brands.
Resolving to come down hard on "violators", Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain said the AAP government was also going to "revise" the Food Adulteration Act so that stiff punishment can be given to those involved in adulteration in food and medicines.
Jain said as per rule permissible level of lead should be 2.5 but it was found in the range of 3.54 to 4.59 in the Maggi samples tested in government laboratories. The Delhi government has also found presence taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) beyond permissible limits in the samples.
The decision to ban sale of Maggi with immediate effect came after Delhi Health Department was not satisfied with explanation of Nestle India on authorities finding "lead beyond permissible limit" in the noodle samples lifted from across the city.
The Indian arm of the Swiss multinational giant has also been directed to withdraw Maggi stocks from the Delhi market within 15 days after which laboratory tests will be conducted on fresh stocks and a decision will be taken thereafter.
"Government has put a ban on Maggi noodles for 15 days. We have asked Nestle India to withdraw Maggi stocks within 15 days. We will carry out lab testing of fresh stocks and a decision will be taken thereafter," Jain told reporters here.
He said government will file a case against Nestle India in court as per provisions of the Food Adulteration Act and will "not compromise" on issues relating to health safety.
Earlier, a group of officials from Nestle India explained to Jain about their position on the issue insisting that Maggi noodles were not harmful for consumption.
A senior government official said the Nestle executives, including its country head, conveyed to Jain that media was running misleading stories and urged him not to go by such reports.
Officials said government will carry out checks in various markets to see whether the ban is complied with, adding traders violating the order will be prosecuted.
Yesterday, the Delhi government had said that it found samples of Maggi noodles "unsafe" for consumption as it contained lead beyond the permissible level in Maggi masala (tastemaker).
