Two shop owners fined ₹25,000 each over food safety violations

GREATER NOIDA: In two separate cases, owners of two shops were fined ₹25,000 each by the Gautam Budh Nagar additional district magistrate (ADM) over food safety

GREATER NOIDA: In two separate cases, owners of two shops were fined ₹25,000 each by the Gautam Budh Nagar additional district magistrate (ADM) over food safety violations.

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The first case dates back to 2018 when the food safety department had taken samples of buckwheat (kuttu) flour for inspection from a store in Gejha village, Sector 93A.

Food safety officer Shweta Chakravatim on October 12, 2018, had collected the sample. It was sent to a lab in Lucknow where it was found substandard and violation of section 26(2)(ii) of the Food Safety and Standards Act was reported. This section states that no food business operator shall themselves or by any person on their behalf manufacture, store or sell or distribute any article of food which is misbranded or substandard or contains extraneous matter.

Initially, the owner had claimed that the sample was not substandard. He claimed no sample was taken from his shop. Further he stated there was no public witness shown in whose presence sample was collected. He also stated that proper legal formalities were not completed.

“In view of the accused shopkeeper’s request, a minimum fine of ₹25,000 is levied,” Diwakar Singh, ADM said on Tuesday.

The second case pertains to 2019, in which a sweetshop owner was fined for substandard cheese curd (chhaina).

The ADM fined another shop owner as he too confessed and claimed it was his first mistake, and requested a minimum fine. “Milk product chhaina was found substandard. On August 13, 2019, the sample was collected from a sweet shop at the Haldoni crossing in Greater Noida. Lab test report dated September 3, 2019, had found it substandard,” said the ADM.