Manufacturing unit of bhujia seller sealed

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 31

The food wing of the Health Department sealed the manufacturing unit of famous Jhanda Singh Bhujia Wale, which was being run from Baba Deep Sìngh Colony at the Tarn Taran road, here on Wednesday.

The team also seized the entire stock at the “illegal” unit, including 400 kg of besan, 750 kg of maida, 220-litre cottonseed oil, 325 kg of namkeen and 160 kg of marunda.

The officials collected six samples of different food ingredients and products and sent these to the food laboratory in Kharar.

District Health Officer Dr Lakhbir Singh Bhagowalia said, “The unit is illegal as it does not have a licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act. The staff members were found working in their undergarments. They did not have medical fitness certificates. The bhujia and ingredients were lying on the floor which was unhygienic.”

He said the building was not protected to stop the entry of birds, reptiles and insects as the floor, roof and walls were broken. The health officer said the unit was being run from a residential building with poor ventilation and lighting facility. The factory and products would remain sealed till the outcome of samples.

The department also collected seven samples from 16 containers of SK Sweets, Sharifpura, and Sekhon Sweet Shop, Gilwali Gate, which were found at Shah Cold Store, recently. Earlier, the owners had not cooperated with the department for sampling.

“In the containers, we found coloured chamcham, especially with pink colour. Pink colour in food products is prohibited as chemicals in are carcinogenic in nature, and can cause renal failure,” said Bhagowalia. He also appealed to the people not to buy pink-coloured chamcham.

3 quintals of khoya seized

Tarn Taran: A team of officials, led by Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Surinder Singh, seized 3.38 quintals of “synthetic” khoya from the Amritsat-Chabal bypass here on Wednesday. The “spurious” food product was being taken in a three-wheeler (PB-02-BB-9406). The action was taken under the Tandrusht Punjab mission. The three-wheeler has been handed over to the police. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Vipin Kumar said health officials, led by Assistant Food Commissioner Dr Gurpreet Singh, have sent a sample of the khoya to the laboratory in Kharar. The police said further action would be taken after receiving the lab report. The police said a slip was recovered from the driver of the three-wheeler which indicated that the khoya was brought from Amritsar for three renowned sweet shops of the town. OC