DC urges business community to follow food safety norms

ITANAGAR, 29 Jan: Itanagar Capital Region DC Komkar Dulom urged the business community to strictly adhere to the standard food safety rules and regulations.

Dulom asked the department concerned to carry out checking drives from time to time.

The DC on Friday convened a meeting of the district level steering committee on food safety and standard at his office chamber here and the meeting was attended by food safety and officers from the legal metrology and consumer affairs, tax and excise departments, APMC and representatives of the Arunachal Chamber of Commerce and Industries and market welfare associations.

Food Safety Officer Lokham Mangha highlighted the various provisions under the Food Safety Standard Act, 2006.

“It is mandatory for business communities to obtain food licence under the act,” he said.

He informed that use of carbide gas for artificially ripening fruit, use of formalin for preservation of fishes and sale of loose edible oil, etc, are prohibited under various sections of the act. He also cleared the difference between the “best before,” expiry date, etc.

Mangha urged the people not to believe in fake news on plastic food items that surface from time to time.

He said that the food safety team is doing its best to ensure that only safe food items are made available to the citizens.

Informing that there are three mobile food testing vehicles, he sought the cooperation of the police, the LMCA department and other stakeholders in creating awareness on food safety.

LM DC TN Tara and LMCA Inspector Debia Tana also spoke.

SDPO Kamdam Sikom also attended the meeting. (DIPRO)