Drive for food safety

Food Safety Enforcement Wing has conducted a drive at Paona Bazar and Thangal Bazar and shielded some shops which were shut down on hearing of the drive.
The drive was conducted by a combined team of Enforcement Wings of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Bisnupur Districts under the supervision of Food Safety Commissioner, P.K Singh.
During the drive, edible items being sold without licence were seized. On hearing about the drive, a few shopkeepers pulled the shutters down. They have been sealed by the Enforcement Wing.
Shopkeepers were found selling edible items without the Food Safety & Standards Authority of FSSAI license. The team also found many items imported from Myanmar without expiry date stickers, stickers with Myanmar language, stickers with manufacturing dates printed twice.
Designated Officer of Food Safety & Administration, Thounaojam Sunilkumar who took part in the drive talking to the reporters said the edible items which may cause throat diseases to the children were banned earlier were found selling and we have seized today.
He said actions will be taken under the Food Safety & Standards Act 2006 if shopkeepers are found violating the rules. Drives could not be conducted regularly in the past due to the lack of manpower in the department. “Now we have adequate manpower and the drive will now be conducted regularly in all valley districts”, said Sunilkumar.
He also appealed the public and civil society organisations to extend all possible support to stop shopkeepers selling food items without the FSSAI.