The Delhi Government has in the past five years tested 14,761 samples for food adulteration of which only 886 samples have been found to be in violation of standards. Of the total samples, 1,668 samples were taken last year and 3,148 in 2011.
The highest number of samples was collected from Model Town followed by Kotwali and Connaught Place. Samples were also retrieved from places such as Karol Bagh, Hauz Khas and Narela. In all samples from 27 places in the Capital were collected and tested to see if it is in accordance with The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act & Rules (PFA) and the Food Safety and Standard Act.
The information was furnished under the ‘Starred Questions’ in the Delhi Assembly on Friday upon questions posed to Health Minister A.K. Walia by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and party Chief Whip Sahab Singh Chauhan. He had asked the Minister to provide information on the number of samples collected for testing in Delhi in the last five years and the steps taken by the government to prevent adulteration in different kinds of food items.
Mr. Chauhan had also enquired about the steps taken to prevent the supply of adulterated milk, butter and ghee from outside Delhi. Apart from special drives conducted to check adulterated food items, legal action has been taken against 39 offenders, said the written reply.
Seemapuri MLA Veer Singh Dhingan had also asked for information on the number of persons against whom action had been taken during the last two years. The Health Department said “377 samples did not meet the standards. Cases have been registered in various courts against people involved in 287 of these samples. For the remaining cases a departmental enquiry is on after which cases will be registered.”
