New Delhi [India], February 26 : The Food Safety Department in Delhi has launched a special enforcement campaign ahead of the Holi festivities to curb adulteration of various foodstuffs and prevent consumption by the public.
The department's focus is broad, spanning multiple categories including pulses, grains, spices, oils, and dairy products, with a heightened emphasis on items traditionally consumed during Holi.
Under the direct instructions of Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh, the proactive initiative aims to curb food adulteration during the high-demand festive season.
As part of this drive, officials have already collected 66 food samples, consisting of 54 surveillance samples for monitoring and 12 legal samples for potential prosecution.
To tighten the net on substandard goods, the department is conducting specialised inspections at major khoya and paneer mandis, which serve as central hubs for festive sweets.
Beyond the markets, authorities are monitoring production units operating in residential areas and have established strict checkpoints at Delhi's borders to intercept adulterated goods entering the city.
To maintain the momentum of this crackdown, food safety teams will remain active through the weekends. The government has issued a clear and stern warning to vendors and manufacturers that the sale of adulterated food or sweets will not be tolerated.
Separately, the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (UPFSDA), in collaboration with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), launched an intensive crackdown on food adulteration in Kanpur.
This campaign, launched at food outlets across the city as the festival season approaches, resulted in the seizure of more than 13 thousand litres of adulterated oil and over 1,000 KG of coloured waste.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 13,972 litres of adulterated oil and 1,350 kg of coloured waste. Additionally, officials raided a fake ghee manufacturing unit in Kalyanpur, and goods valued at ₹5.45 lakh were seized. All seized samples have been sent to a laboratory for further analysis, according to an official statement.
Earlier, FSDA also conducted rapid raids in Lucknow during Ramadan and Holi. The campaign includes surprise inspections of cold storage facilities and dairies. During the raid, 1,320 kg of dates were seized. Along with that, 1,418 kg of coloured Kachri was also seized.
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