Neemuch: Traders from Neemuch opposed an ongoing drive by the food safety department in the town and threatened to launch an agitation if it was not stopped.
Traders decided to open a front against the department after team from Bhopal raided two firms in the town and seized more than twenty-five tonnes of edibles on Thursday. Team also collected seven food samples following which the traders decided to raise their objections.
Notably, the administration has registered several cases over the past few months against the people involved in food adulteration under the ongoing 'Shuddh Ke Liye Yuddh' drive against food and milk adulteration. Department is taking stringent action against the people found involved in such malpractices.
Department has formed teams to carry out drives at different places across the district and under this, five-member team from the department visited various places in Neemuch and carried out raids and collected samples. During inspections at different firms, team found irregularities at two godowns. Following this, team raided the places and seized food items including cooking oil, wheat and other food items stored there. Team also collected seven samples from their and sent to the laboratory for detail report.
One of the team member on condition of anonymity said that team inspected Manasa road situated firm own by Nilesh Kumar and Gourav Kumar. Team did not found producer’s name and packaging date on the bags containing edibles. Team seized 19400 kilogram wheat and oil seeds from there. The team also inspected Malkheda road situated MB Traders plant and seized 6170 kilogram nigella seeds (kalonji) and carom seeds (ajwain).
Team comprised of food safety officer Sachin Logriya, Mahendra Trivedi, Pushpendra Dwivedi, Yeshwant Sharma and Rahul Alawa.
Meanwhile, as soon as traders came to know about raid, they gathered outside their shops and raised their objections. Mandi Traders Association president Rakesh Bhardwaj, secretary Rajendra Khandelwal and others accused team of harassing traders on the name of drive. Traders said that they won’t participate in the auction process as protest until department rolls back their drive.
