Health Dept collects 9 food samples against target of 100

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 19

The Health Department, liable for collecting samples of food to ensure hygiene and safety for the people, seems hardly keen on doing its job.

The department constitutes teams from time to time for sampling of food and taking strict action against those who indulge in malpractices.

The Punjab Government has issued instructions to food officers to take 100 samples and test them in a month, but officials in the district have been unable to implement them, as shown by the food sample report released by the department for December.

As per the report, only nine samples were collected in the district in December, which is 91 per cent less than the target. Of these samples, one has failed.

The report for January has not been submitted yet by the department.

The department has expressed dissatisfaction over the low online registration and issuing of licence.

All CMOs have been told to implement the guidelines strictly in all districts.

The district is not alone in low sampling of food as many districts have not even taken a single sample in December.

Official of the department claim that they take samples and send them to lab for tests but in December, the procedure couldn’t be carried on at its usual pace as they were busy in election duties.

As per the procedure, after taking food samples, the department sends it to state food laboratory, from where the report comes after a month.

Notices are sent to those units whose samples fail. The shopkeeper can get the test conducted at any other food laboratory. If the person is found guilty of offence then strict action is taken against the person concerned.

Till date, no person has been jailed in the district for selling unhygienic food items.