Uttarakhand launches statewide campaign to curb adulteration in desi ghee and butter
Along with desi ghee and butter, samples from sweet shops will also be collected according to the statement released by CMO across the state.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami along with Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat directed the Food Safety and Drug Controller Department to launch a statewide campaign to combat adulteration in desi ghee and butter. The initiative is now being implemented across all districts.
Along with desi ghee and butter, samples from sweet shops will also be collected according to the statement released by CMO across the state. Health Secretary and Food Commissioner R Rajesh Kumar assured that strict measures will be taken against anyone found selling adulterated ghee and butter.
This was directed after the Union Health Ministry sent a letter to all states, instructing them to collect and examine samples of laddus, along with investigating the quality of ghee sold in the market.
The state-wide campaign aimed at curbing the sale of adulterated ghee and butter, said additional Commissioner of the Food Department, Tajbar Jagg. There are also instructions to conduct raids at sweet shops and outlets selling desi ghee and butter across all districts.
The investigation is already underway, with samples of ghee and butter from various companies being collected by the team. Further action will be taken once the test results are received. The campaign is being led by the Division’s Deputy Commissioner and the District Designated Officer.
Senior Food Safety Officers and Food Safety Officers will conduct rigorous inspections at manufacturing units and storage vendors throughout the state, collecting both legal and surveillance samples of locally produced and branded ghee and butter.
A raid campaign was carried out under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner RS Rawat in Garhwal Division, where desi ghee and butter were tested at various locations in Dehradun district. Multiple samples were collected and sent to the lab for analysis.
In Kumaon Division, under the leadership of Food Safety and Drug Administration Deputy Commissioner Anoj Kumar Thapliyal, the team carried out an intensive inspection of major ghee sellers, wholesalers, and distribution establishments in Haldwani. The aim was to prevent the sale and storage of adulterated ghee, with samples sent to the lab for testing.
Through the course of the campaign, the team inspected wholesale ghee sellers at Mangal Padav, Kaladhungi Road, and Rampur Road in Haldwani. Deputy Commissioner Anoj Kumar Thapliyal confirmed that four samples of ghee from various brands, including Paras, Pehelwan, Mother Dairy, and Health Made Desi Ghee, were collected, along with a sample of some other brands and were sent to the lab for testing. Appropriate action will be taken once the test reports are received.
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