Oil mafia: Maharashtra govt sitting on ex-IAS officer's report
As Maharashtra government cracks down on the oil mafia in the wake of gruesome murder of additional district collector Yashwant Sonawane, a 15-year-old report on curbing oil adulteration menace prepared by a former IAS officer is gathering dust at the state secretariat.
"I submitted the report to the government in 1995-96. Nothing has been done so far," Leena Mehendale, the then Nashik divisional commissioner, told Press Trust of India.
Sonawane was burnt alive by the oil mafia in Malegaon, Nashik district, on Tuesday for having cracked down on them.
"The report came to Mantralaya (secretariat). All that we learnt was that no action was going to be taken (on the report)," said Mehendale, who retired last year as additional chief secretary.
The then Dhule district collector had initiated the report, she said. "I expanded the report, went into details. Immediately after the report was submitted, Dhule collector was transferred. After four months, I was also transferred."
The report has noted that oil adulteration and pilferage were rampant in the region where Sonawane was killed. It has also suggested review of licenses of vendors.
"I recommended that petrol and kerosene licenses should not be given to the same person," she said, adding that the government has turned a blind eye towards this suggestion, leading to rampant adulteration.
Mehendale had discussed the issue with the then law secretary of Maharashtra, seeking an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). She suggested that rationing inspectors should get the right to file cases in court.
The retired bureaucrat said: "The other day, I saw on TV Congress leader Rahul Gandhi answering a query on my report. Rahul said he wants to bring in systemic changes and transform the system. This is a welcome announcement, but if you want to bring in changes, there is a need to change the procedure."
"In case of such reports, the least that can be done is to call the officer concerned to Mantralaya for consultation, instead of dumping the report in cold storage."
A final decision on the report can't be taken by the officer. It has to be taken by the cabinet...by the Minister concerned, she said.
"Why do we have such a system where a field officer sends a report, but the government decides that no action is to be taken without assigning any reason? a senior official sought to know.
Mehendale prepared the report based on the then Dhule additional collector's monthly figures on fuel adulteration. She examined two years' audit of fuel consumption and was shocked to see no proper records were being kept by kerosene and petrol dealers.
FDA cracks the whip on adulteration
Alarmed by the increasing incidents of adulteration of milk, officials from the Food & Drugs Administration (FDA) have been asked to step up their vigilance and undertake a massive inspection drive to nab criminals red-handed.
“We have noticed that three products — milk, oil and gutka — are adulterated more often than other products. Therefore, food inspectors across the state have been asked to take measures to curb it. Dairies in the government, cooperative and private sectors will be surveyed,” said FDA Commissioner Amitabh Chandra, on Tuesday.
Between April 1, 2006, and May 31, 2007, FDA officials collected samples from 866 dairies across the state, of which 151 samples were found to be adulterated and of sub-standard quality. Based on this, FDA officials declared that nearly one-fourth of the 60 lakh litres of milk produced in the state daily is adulterated.
The adulteration usually takes place at the point where milk tankers enter the state, at the border areas in Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Studies also show that milk samples collected from smaller private dairies tend to be more adulterated, revealed FDA officials.
“Earlier we used to raid the dens of youngsters in slum areas in the city where they used to adulterate milk with ingredients such as starch, caustic soda, oil, sugar, liquid sugar, lactose and detergents. However, this has come down,” said the FDA Commissioner.
On Monday night, FDA sent two teams comprising of four inspectors and two assistant inspectors each, to slum areas in Ghatkopar including Naidunagar, Pantnagar, Vatsalanagar and Indiranagar in Mulund, where such rackets were known to exist.
However, these areas were found to be clean, revealed a senior official.Since June this year, the FDA has collected 184 samples of milk, 168 samples of oil and 48 samples of gutka. The Association has also inspected 248 hotels and restaurants to check if they were working in accordance with the Cigarettes Act 2003.
Chandra added that more raids and surveillance need to be conducted. However, the FDA is unable to do so as there is a severe shortage of food inspectors.
“We have just 260 sanctioned inspectors whereas ideally we would require at least 1,000 food inspectors for the mammoth operations required across the state,” added Chandra.
“We have noticed that three products — milk, oil and gutka — are adulterated more often than other products. Therefore, food inspectors across the state have been asked to take measures to curb it. Dairies in the government, cooperative and private sectors will be surveyed,” said FDA Commissioner Amitabh Chandra, on Tuesday.
Between April 1, 2006, and May 31, 2007, FDA officials collected samples from 866 dairies across the state, of which 151 samples were found to be adulterated and of sub-standard quality. Based on this, FDA officials declared that nearly one-fourth of the 60 lakh litres of milk produced in the state daily is adulterated.
The adulteration usually takes place at the point where milk tankers enter the state, at the border areas in Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Studies also show that milk samples collected from smaller private dairies tend to be more adulterated, revealed FDA officials.
“Earlier we used to raid the dens of youngsters in slum areas in the city where they used to adulterate milk with ingredients such as starch, caustic soda, oil, sugar, liquid sugar, lactose and detergents. However, this has come down,” said the FDA Commissioner.
On Monday night, FDA sent two teams comprising of four inspectors and two assistant inspectors each, to slum areas in Ghatkopar including Naidunagar, Pantnagar, Vatsalanagar and Indiranagar in Mulund, where such rackets were known to exist.
However, these areas were found to be clean, revealed a senior official.Since June this year, the FDA has collected 184 samples of milk, 168 samples of oil and 48 samples of gutka. The Association has also inspected 248 hotels and restaurants to check if they were working in accordance with the Cigarettes Act 2003.
Chandra added that more raids and surveillance need to be conducted. However, the FDA is unable to do so as there is a severe shortage of food inspectors.
“We have just 260 sanctioned inspectors whereas ideally we would require at least 1,000 food inspectors for the mammoth operations required across the state,” added Chandra.
Adulteration cases: Rate of conviction abysmal
There is a bad news for health-conscious Gujaratis. The state government, which has dragged suspected food adulterators to court, is failing to prove cases against them.
The official figures for last five years suggest that an alarming 80% of those facing food adulteration charges are acquitted. The state government recently furnished details of cases, convictions and various rules regarding food adulteration to a bench of Gujarat high court.
In the 1,642 cases of adulteration decided by courts in different districts of the state, the accused were acquitted in 1,356 cases. The number of convictions is highly disappointing as the government ultimately fails to establish the offence of the adulterators in court of law.
In 2010, the government lost 381 cases out of 425. This means nearly 90% of accused were acquitted. The percentage of conviction was a mere 12.40% in 2009 and 15.24% in 2008. Till now, the highest rate of conviction was 22.77% in 2007 followed by 21.28% in 2005 and 18.88% in 2006.
While the conviction rate is poor, the health department continues to crack down on units manufacturing and selling food and soft drinks. During the last five years, it was found that average 93% samples were found genuine and in only 7% cases adulteration of food items was detected.
The health department had collected around 62,000 samples from across the state and 58,423 out of them were found unadulterated by government laboratories. The figure suggests that though a very few cases of food adulteration are registered, the acquittal rate is still high.
The high court is hearing a case of one Pepsico holdings limited regarding a case of food adulteration. During the hearing, it came to light that the offenders are taking benefit of the government’s soft approach of allowing the samples of food and soft drinks to be verified by laboratories in other states.This approach helps offenders as they can easily take defence in the court that results of the test of food or drink would naturally come negative if it is done after the expiry date.
According to the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, the government has to give a chance to the offenders to verify samples of food or drink once they are checked by government authorities. However, for verification, the consent of the government is necessary.
The official figures for last five years suggest that an alarming 80% of those facing food adulteration charges are acquitted. The state government recently furnished details of cases, convictions and various rules regarding food adulteration to a bench of Gujarat high court.
In the 1,642 cases of adulteration decided by courts in different districts of the state, the accused were acquitted in 1,356 cases. The number of convictions is highly disappointing as the government ultimately fails to establish the offence of the adulterators in court of law.
In 2010, the government lost 381 cases out of 425. This means nearly 90% of accused were acquitted. The percentage of conviction was a mere 12.40% in 2009 and 15.24% in 2008. Till now, the highest rate of conviction was 22.77% in 2007 followed by 21.28% in 2005 and 18.88% in 2006.
While the conviction rate is poor, the health department continues to crack down on units manufacturing and selling food and soft drinks. During the last five years, it was found that average 93% samples were found genuine and in only 7% cases adulteration of food items was detected.
The health department had collected around 62,000 samples from across the state and 58,423 out of them were found unadulterated by government laboratories. The figure suggests that though a very few cases of food adulteration are registered, the acquittal rate is still high.
The high court is hearing a case of one Pepsico holdings limited regarding a case of food adulteration. During the hearing, it came to light that the offenders are taking benefit of the government’s soft approach of allowing the samples of food and soft drinks to be verified by laboratories in other states.This approach helps offenders as they can easily take defence in the court that results of the test of food or drink would naturally come negative if it is done after the expiry date.
According to the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, the government has to give a chance to the offenders to verify samples of food or drink once they are checked by government authorities. However, for verification, the consent of the government is necessary.
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No comments yet.Milk adulteration non-bailable offence in Maharashtra
Food adulteration will be a cognisable and non-bailable offence in Maharashtra after an amended Act, which gives sweeping powers to police, comes into force on Tuesday.
The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Maharashtra Amendment) Act, 2006 authorises police officials of the rank of inspector and above to arrest the culprits without warrants.
The Act has been amended specifically to check milk adulteration which has assumed alarming proportion in Mumbai and elsewhere, Food and Drug Administration Minister Baba Siddiqui said.
"As the offence now becomes non-bailable, we will be able to reach to the kingpin of the milk adulteration rackets," the minister told.
It would also help in police investigations, he added.
There is an organised racket in adulteration and that is why the state government amended the Act, the minister said.
The Act was passed in April 2006. Maharashtra is the first state to enforce such provisions to curb food adulteration, he said, adding two new laboratories of the Food and Drug Administration have been set up at Mumbai and Aurangabad.
The state legislature had proposed amendments so that the Act can be strengthened to tackle the growing menace of food adulteration. The amendments received Presidential assent late last year.
Until now, government agencies required permission from an appropriate body, like the Food and Drug Administration, for any action against a trader or retailer for violation of the Act.
Now, as per the amended Act, traders could be booked without any FDA approval. It also allows police to book and prosecute everyone associated with the shop or establishment for food adulteration.
In case of a company registered under the Companies Act, proprietors and partners can face action under the new Act.
The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Maharashtra Amendment) Act, 2006 authorises police officials of the rank of inspector and above to arrest the culprits without warrants.
The Act has been amended specifically to check milk adulteration which has assumed alarming proportion in Mumbai and elsewhere, Food and Drug Administration Minister Baba Siddiqui said.
"As the offence now becomes non-bailable, we will be able to reach to the kingpin of the milk adulteration rackets," the minister told.
It would also help in police investigations, he added.
There is an organised racket in adulteration and that is why the state government amended the Act, the minister said.
The Act was passed in April 2006. Maharashtra is the first state to enforce such provisions to curb food adulteration, he said, adding two new laboratories of the Food and Drug Administration have been set up at Mumbai and Aurangabad.
The state legislature had proposed amendments so that the Act can be strengthened to tackle the growing menace of food adulteration. The amendments received Presidential assent late last year.
Until now, government agencies required permission from an appropriate body, like the Food and Drug Administration, for any action against a trader or retailer for violation of the Act.
Now, as per the amended Act, traders could be booked without any FDA approval. It also allows police to book and prosecute everyone associated with the shop or establishment for food adulteration.
In case of a company registered under the Companies Act, proprietors and partners can face action under the new Act.
Maharashtra among four worst states in milk adulteration
Maharashtra figures among the four states that have recorded high percentages of adulteration in edible commodities such as beverages, milk and milk products. The others in that bracket are Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab.
These facts cropped up during the course of a debate in Lok Sabha on rampant adulteration of food and other edible substances in the country. An alarming trend has also been witnessed in the form of a total number of cases registered or challenged, and accordingly, lesser number of convictions recorded from 2006 to 2008.
According to the data provided by minister of state for health Dinesh Trivedi in response to a calling attention motion in Lok Sabha, during the recent past 281 samples of beverages and 1,063 samples of milk were collected by the authorities concerned in Maharashtra. Out of these, 23.84% samples of beverages and 15.7% samples of milk were found adulterated.
In the case of Gujarat, 121 samples of beverages were picked up for testing and 24% were found to be contaminated.
In Andhra Pradesh, 20.22% samples of beverages and 17.3% samples of milk were found adulterated. While a total of 277 samples of beverages were collected, the number of milk samples was 156.
Out of 170 samples of beverages collected in Punjab, 35.8% were found adulterated. As for milk, out of the 619 samples, 34.1% were found unfit. Trivedi said that from 2006 onwards there has been a steady decline in the number of cases registered against those selling adulterated food products and thus the total number of convictions has also gone down.
As against 7,695 cases and 1,284 convictions in 2006, the cases in 2007 were 3,902 while convictions were 2,472. In 2008, only 3,250 cases were registered with prosecution drastically coming down to 549. Trivedi said that complaints have been received of mixing animal fat and urea in milk products.
These facts cropped up during the course of a debate in Lok Sabha on rampant adulteration of food and other edible substances in the country. An alarming trend has also been witnessed in the form of a total number of cases registered or challenged, and accordingly, lesser number of convictions recorded from 2006 to 2008.
According to the data provided by minister of state for health Dinesh Trivedi in response to a calling attention motion in Lok Sabha, during the recent past 281 samples of beverages and 1,063 samples of milk were collected by the authorities concerned in Maharashtra. Out of these, 23.84% samples of beverages and 15.7% samples of milk were found adulterated.
In the case of Gujarat, 121 samples of beverages were picked up for testing and 24% were found to be contaminated.
In Andhra Pradesh, 20.22% samples of beverages and 17.3% samples of milk were found adulterated. While a total of 277 samples of beverages were collected, the number of milk samples was 156.
Out of 170 samples of beverages collected in Punjab, 35.8% were found adulterated. As for milk, out of the 619 samples, 34.1% were found unfit. Trivedi said that from 2006 onwards there has been a steady decline in the number of cases registered against those selling adulterated food products and thus the total number of convictions has also gone down.
As against 7,695 cases and 1,284 convictions in 2006, the cases in 2007 were 3,902 while convictions were 2,472. In 2008, only 3,250 cases were registered with prosecution drastically coming down to 549. Trivedi said that complaints have been received of mixing animal fat and urea in milk products.
Check milk adulteration at home
The phrase ‘doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani’ will hold true for housewives who will now be provided with testing kits by the Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI) to check for milk adulteration. They can put the milk delivered by the local milkman, to an adulteration test using the kit available with the CGSI at Rs30.
While the easiest way to adulterate milk is by adding water, reagents and prohibited neutralisers like hydrated lime, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate are added to milk to prevent spoilage.
When CGSI had conducted surprise raids on April 28, they found the presence of starch, glucose, cane sugar and even washing soda in milk.
“The longevity of milk increases and gives the vendor that much time to sell. Reagents like salt and glucose are added to alter the thickness and viscosity. Adding starch prevents curdling of milk,” said Dr MS Kamath, secretary CGSI. “Salt and detergents are added to adjust the lactometre reading to add thickness to the milk,” said Sitaram Dixit, analytical chemist from CGSI.
The testing protocol is mentioned in every kit and it contains 5ml bottles of reagents with test tubes and a dropper.
Penal action will be taken against the vendor by informing the Foods and Drugs Administration (FDA), when consumers submit adulterated samples to CGSI.
To take the campaign forward, CGSI plans to collect samples from consumers who are unable to conduct tests on their own. “Due to limited resources, the testing services will be available only on certain days in a month,”said Kamath. The meeting points for collection of milk samples are in Mahim, Goregaon, Kanjur-Vikhroli and CST.
CGSI is also in touch with the FDA, which has assured that it will provide three mobile vans to move around in the city for milk testing.
While the easiest way to adulterate milk is by adding water, reagents and prohibited neutralisers like hydrated lime, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate are added to milk to prevent spoilage.
When CGSI had conducted surprise raids on April 28, they found the presence of starch, glucose, cane sugar and even washing soda in milk.
“The longevity of milk increases and gives the vendor that much time to sell. Reagents like salt and glucose are added to alter the thickness and viscosity. Adding starch prevents curdling of milk,” said Dr MS Kamath, secretary CGSI. “Salt and detergents are added to adjust the lactometre reading to add thickness to the milk,” said Sitaram Dixit, analytical chemist from CGSI.
The testing protocol is mentioned in every kit and it contains 5ml bottles of reagents with test tubes and a dropper.
Penal action will be taken against the vendor by informing the Foods and Drugs Administration (FDA), when consumers submit adulterated samples to CGSI.
To take the campaign forward, CGSI plans to collect samples from consumers who are unable to conduct tests on their own. “Due to limited resources, the testing services will be available only on certain days in a month,”said Kamath. The meeting points for collection of milk samples are in Mahim, Goregaon, Kanjur-Vikhroli and CST.
CGSI is also in touch with the FDA, which has assured that it will provide three mobile vans to move around in the city for milk testing.
MPs concerned over sale of vegetables injected with chemicals
The government today promised to commission a research to determine the effect of harmful chemicals on human beings, including oxytocin and calcium carbide, injected in vegetables and fruits.
Replying to a calling attention motion in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for health Dinesh Trivedi said that the directors general of the Indian Council of Medical Research and Indian Council of Agriculture would carry out a new study on the issue.
The motion was moved by Congress member Shantaram Naik and other member cutting across party lines, who expressed concern over the sale of such vegetables and fruits.
The minister cited the paucity of food inspectors to carry out necessary checks and said the administration of all safety laws rest with state governments and union territories.
"Action against persons who indulge in production and trade of adulterated or misbranded food articles is taken by the concerned state and UT governments...," he said prompting the members to say that the government should not shirk its responsibility by saying the matter concerns states.
The minister, however, said the central government's role is confined to enacting laws, rules and regulations and pointed to the complexity of adulteration saying it involves the entire food chain from growers to consumer.
On demands for banning oxytocin and calcium carbide, he said that drugs have many other uses adding that, "Drug itself is not bad but its misuse is."
Some members said the situation had reached to such a pass that even the prime ministers' food was found adulterated when he had visited IIT Kanpur.
Responding to the remark, Trivedi said, "It is a sad situation if true. We have asked the UP government for details."
Moin-ul Hassan (CPI-M), Ram Das Agrawal and Maya Singh (BJP), Narendra Mohan (Samajwadi Party), Rajiv Shukla (Cong), KB Ramalingam (AIADMK), RC Singh (CPI), Kanimozhi (DMK), Tapan Kumar Sen (CPI-M) and Avtar Singh Karimpuri (BSP) also expressed concern over the widespread adulteration of food items.
Replying to a calling attention motion in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for health Dinesh Trivedi said that the directors general of the Indian Council of Medical Research and Indian Council of Agriculture would carry out a new study on the issue.
The motion was moved by Congress member Shantaram Naik and other member cutting across party lines, who expressed concern over the sale of such vegetables and fruits.
The minister cited the paucity of food inspectors to carry out necessary checks and said the administration of all safety laws rest with state governments and union territories.
"Action against persons who indulge in production and trade of adulterated or misbranded food articles is taken by the concerned state and UT governments...," he said prompting the members to say that the government should not shirk its responsibility by saying the matter concerns states.
The minister, however, said the central government's role is confined to enacting laws, rules and regulations and pointed to the complexity of adulteration saying it involves the entire food chain from growers to consumer.
On demands for banning oxytocin and calcium carbide, he said that drugs have many other uses adding that, "Drug itself is not bad but its misuse is."
Some members said the situation had reached to such a pass that even the prime ministers' food was found adulterated when he had visited IIT Kanpur.
Responding to the remark, Trivedi said, "It is a sad situation if true. We have asked the UP government for details."
Moin-ul Hassan (CPI-M), Ram Das Agrawal and Maya Singh (BJP), Narendra Mohan (Samajwadi Party), Rajiv Shukla (Cong), KB Ramalingam (AIADMK), RC Singh (CPI), Kanimozhi (DMK), Tapan Kumar Sen (CPI-M) and Avtar Singh Karimpuri (BSP) also expressed concern over the widespread adulteration of food items.
Adulteration of food to be cognisable offence
The state will make adulteration of food a cognisable and non-bailable offence, said minister of state for Food and Drugs Administration Baba Siddique.
Legislative assembly speaker Babasaheb Kupekar on Saturday directed the government to inspect all vegetable markets in the state for adulteration.
BJP’s Girish Bapat said artificial colouring agents like sunset yellow SPF, used in ice-cream and other foodstuff, is now being used to give bright colours to vegetables like carrots and pumpkins.
Legislative assembly speaker Babasaheb Kupekar on Saturday directed the government to inspect all vegetable markets in the state for adulteration.
BJP’s Girish Bapat said artificial colouring agents like sunset yellow SPF, used in ice-cream and other foodstuff, is now being used to give bright colours to vegetables like carrots and pumpkins.
Bitter truth: Are your sweets adulterated?
It’s the festive season so there is no dearth of goodies to eat. But before you grab another helping of that tempting mithai, have you thought about its contents?
Every day we read, hear and watch how food items are adulterated and how such spurious, unhygienic and harmful food enters our homes.
We have seen how milk and milk products are made from urea, soap and other harmful chemicals. Vegetables and fruits are given injections to make them grow faster. There is evidence to show fruits are ripened with the use of harmful chemicals.
Spurious medicines, food products, soft drinks, soaps, tea leaves — it seems like there is no escaping them.
Shaila Gokhale suspected something was amiss when she pulled out her dog-eared, old diary and added all ingredients for the laddus her sons loves but it was simply not tasting sweet.
“I wondered what had gone wrong. And put a pinch of the sugar powder in my mouth. It was tasting bland,” remembers this Girgaum housewife, who went to pick a quarrel with the grocer.
“But he simply brushed me off saying I’m the only one who was complaining,” she told DNA and wondered why people do not come forward to complain.
Such sub-standard and harmful adulterants could play havoc with health of people so people expect the Centre as well as state government to be more pro-active in monitoring this issue as it is a crime under both IPC and Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.
Ravindra Seth an advertising executive from Worli was given a box of the mithai by a client. “It tasted so bad that everyone was making faces when I offered it to clients. And this was from one of Mumbai’s biggest mithai dealers. Wonder what it must be like with the smaller ones,” he said and added, “the internet is replete with information on the toxicological effects of such adulteration. Everything from heart disease, kidney failure, skin diseases, asthma and other chronic diseases have been traced to adulterants. It’s too scary.”
Nayana Mehta who found the khoya she had bought smelling queasy has complained to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the dairy she bought it from during Dussehra.
“The dairy owner was willing to give me my money back and said nothing will happen even if we complain. He was right. Despite dogged follow-ups there has been no action at all. The administration is a mute spectator. One is forced to think that the police and other agencies are, perhaps, beneficiaries of this flourishing business,” alleges this Kandivli housewife who has sworn off khoya sweets.
Every day we read, hear and watch how food items are adulterated and how such spurious, unhygienic and harmful food enters our homes.
We have seen how milk and milk products are made from urea, soap and other harmful chemicals. Vegetables and fruits are given injections to make them grow faster. There is evidence to show fruits are ripened with the use of harmful chemicals.
Spurious medicines, food products, soft drinks, soaps, tea leaves — it seems like there is no escaping them.
Shaila Gokhale suspected something was amiss when she pulled out her dog-eared, old diary and added all ingredients for the laddus her sons loves but it was simply not tasting sweet.
“I wondered what had gone wrong. And put a pinch of the sugar powder in my mouth. It was tasting bland,” remembers this Girgaum housewife, who went to pick a quarrel with the grocer.
“But he simply brushed me off saying I’m the only one who was complaining,” she told DNA and wondered why people do not come forward to complain.
Such sub-standard and harmful adulterants could play havoc with health of people so people expect the Centre as well as state government to be more pro-active in monitoring this issue as it is a crime under both IPC and Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.
Ravindra Seth an advertising executive from Worli was given a box of the mithai by a client. “It tasted so bad that everyone was making faces when I offered it to clients. And this was from one of Mumbai’s biggest mithai dealers. Wonder what it must be like with the smaller ones,” he said and added, “the internet is replete with information on the toxicological effects of such adulteration. Everything from heart disease, kidney failure, skin diseases, asthma and other chronic diseases have been traced to adulterants. It’s too scary.”
Nayana Mehta who found the khoya she had bought smelling queasy has complained to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the dairy she bought it from during Dussehra.
“The dairy owner was willing to give me my money back and said nothing will happen even if we complain. He was right. Despite dogged follow-ups there has been no action at all. The administration is a mute spectator. One is forced to think that the police and other agencies are, perhaps, beneficiaries of this flourishing business,” alleges this Kandivli housewife who has sworn off khoya sweets.
Spurious mawa may sour festive spirit
Even after spending a fortune on sweets this festive season, chances are the mithai you pack home may be adulterated. Despite mawa prices rising sharply ahead of festive occasions of Raksha Bandhan and Ganeshotsav, greedy sweet makers are using spurious material to make sweets.
In a major bust on Monday, the public health department of the municipal corporation seized 428 kg of spurious mawa from two dairy shops at Bhandup. The mawa, estimated to be worth Rs56,390, was later destroyed. Acting on a tip-off, food inspectors and health officials conducted raids at Shri Ganesh Dairy and Sai Krupa Dairy located at Nadas Nagar in Bhandup (west).
A food inspector said that starch powder could have been used to adulterate the mawa. The BMC has sent four mawa samples taken from these shops to the Pune-based Central Food Laboratory for chemical analysis, the results of which will confirm the ingredient used, and its extent.
The BMC has also decided to prosecute the owners of these shops—Govardan Kumavat from Shri Ganesh dairy and Ghanshyam Kumawat who owns Sai Krupa dairy—under the prevention of food adulteration act, 1954. Offenders can be sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and/or fined Rs1,000 if found guilty under the provisions of the act. Health officials said their trade license could be cancelled as well.
While the adulteration was checked in time in this case, civic officials admit it would be difficult to achieve zero-adulteration of sweets in Mumbai, with mithai and dairy shops spread all across the city.
Sweet makers use just about anything from vegetable fats to starch powder and petroleum derivatives to adulterate sweets. BMC executive health official Dr Jayaraj Thanekar said that the public health department has decided to conduct random checks to monitor the quality of mawa being sold. He added that similar quality checks will also be conducted in godowns.
“Instructions have been passed to immediately destroy spurious mawa,” said Thanekar. BMC recently held a meeting with a delegation of sweet makers and stressed the need to check the price and the quality of sweets being sold during the festive season.
In a major bust on Monday, the public health department of the municipal corporation seized 428 kg of spurious mawa from two dairy shops at Bhandup. The mawa, estimated to be worth Rs56,390, was later destroyed. Acting on a tip-off, food inspectors and health officials conducted raids at Shri Ganesh Dairy and Sai Krupa Dairy located at Nadas Nagar in Bhandup (west).
A food inspector said that starch powder could have been used to adulterate the mawa. The BMC has sent four mawa samples taken from these shops to the Pune-based Central Food Laboratory for chemical analysis, the results of which will confirm the ingredient used, and its extent.
The BMC has also decided to prosecute the owners of these shops—Govardan Kumavat from Shri Ganesh dairy and Ghanshyam Kumawat who owns Sai Krupa dairy—under the prevention of food adulteration act, 1954. Offenders can be sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and/or fined Rs1,000 if found guilty under the provisions of the act. Health officials said their trade license could be cancelled as well.
While the adulteration was checked in time in this case, civic officials admit it would be difficult to achieve zero-adulteration of sweets in Mumbai, with mithai and dairy shops spread all across the city.
Sweet makers use just about anything from vegetable fats to starch powder and petroleum derivatives to adulterate sweets. BMC executive health official Dr Jayaraj Thanekar said that the public health department has decided to conduct random checks to monitor the quality of mawa being sold. He added that similar quality checks will also be conducted in godowns.
“Instructions have been passed to immediately destroy spurious mawa,” said Thanekar. BMC recently held a meeting with a delegation of sweet makers and stressed the need to check the price and the quality of sweets being sold during the festive season.
Chemicals worth Rs1 crore seized during raids in Maharashtra
In the biggest seizure during the ongoing raids against the oil mafia, officials have unearthed a major adulteration racket with the recovery of chemicals worth Rs1 crore from Maharashtra's Solapur district.
District supply officials seized four tankers along with the chemicals near the temple town of Pandharpur late last night, sources said.
With this seizure, officials have busted a major racket involving adulteration of chemicals transported on the Bangalore-Hyderabad route, the sources said.
Maharashtra government is planning to act collectively against food, sand and oil adulteration mafia in the state in the aftermath of the murder of additional collector Yashwant Sonawane.
The government is also planning to rope in the oil companies to curb adulteration of petrol and diesel. Home minister RR Patil has instructed police to seal the petrol pumps which sell adulterated fuel.
On Thursday night, police seized one lakh litres of adulterated petrol in suburban Kurla.
District supply officials seized four tankers along with the chemicals near the temple town of Pandharpur late last night, sources said.
With this seizure, officials have busted a major racket involving adulteration of chemicals transported on the Bangalore-Hyderabad route, the sources said.
Maharashtra government is planning to act collectively against food, sand and oil adulteration mafia in the state in the aftermath of the murder of additional collector Yashwant Sonawane.
The government is also planning to rope in the oil companies to curb adulteration of petrol and diesel. Home minister RR Patil has instructed police to seal the petrol pumps which sell adulterated fuel.
On Thursday night, police seized one lakh litres of adulterated petrol in suburban Kurla.
Don’t go bananas, guard against toxicity in the fruit
Love bananas? Then better watch out. Chances are there that the one you are about to peel and eat contains harmful chemicals.
On Tuesday, acting on a tip-off, food inspectors from the health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) busted an adulteration racket which used calcium carbide crystals, a known carcinogen, to ripen the fruit.
Accompanied by a police squad, nine inspectors raided three banana wholesale shops at Saat Rasta. Senior food inspector AD Mayekar said that the shops had chambers inside them, where bananas were treated with a chemical containing traces of arsenic and phosphorus. Dissolved in water, the chemical produced acetylene which made bananas ripen faster.
The use of acetylene to ripen fruits is banned as it affects the human nervous system. It causes indigestion and acidity, and can even lead to cancer, medical experts say.
The BMC team seized the solution and packets of unused calcium carbide crystals from the shops. The chemical samples and some of the adulterated bananas were sent to a laboratory in Pune. The team of inspectors seized and destroyed 1,692 kg of bananas worth Rs18,296.
The police arrested owners of the three shops — Harishchandra Gupta, 33, Devraj Gupta, 44, and Jagannath Yadav, 70. The three were booked under punishable sections of the prevention of food adulteration Act, 1955, and section 16 of the Maharashtra prevention of food adulteration Act.
In January, 2,062 kg of “chemically” ripened bananas had been seized from Iraniwadi, Kandivli.
On Tuesday, acting on a tip-off, food inspectors from the health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) busted an adulteration racket which used calcium carbide crystals, a known carcinogen, to ripen the fruit.
Accompanied by a police squad, nine inspectors raided three banana wholesale shops at Saat Rasta. Senior food inspector AD Mayekar said that the shops had chambers inside them, where bananas were treated with a chemical containing traces of arsenic and phosphorus. Dissolved in water, the chemical produced acetylene which made bananas ripen faster.
The use of acetylene to ripen fruits is banned as it affects the human nervous system. It causes indigestion and acidity, and can even lead to cancer, medical experts say.
The BMC team seized the solution and packets of unused calcium carbide crystals from the shops. The chemical samples and some of the adulterated bananas were sent to a laboratory in Pune. The team of inspectors seized and destroyed 1,692 kg of bananas worth Rs18,296.
The police arrested owners of the three shops — Harishchandra Gupta, 33, Devraj Gupta, 44, and Jagannath Yadav, 70. The three were booked under punishable sections of the prevention of food adulteration Act, 1955, and section 16 of the Maharashtra prevention of food adulteration Act.
In January, 2,062 kg of “chemically” ripened bananas had been seized from Iraniwadi, Kandivli.
Fuel scam 'kingpin' put behind bars
Police hope arrest will blow the lid off adulteration racket
One of the key players behind the multi-crore fuel adulteration scam is behind bars. In a major breakthrough, the Mangaon police in Raigad district on Sunday arrested Samruddin Khan, 45, who is wanted in more than six cases of oil adulteration in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Raigad. A police source says Khan is a kingpin in the fuel adulteration scam.
The Mumbai police, along with the Thane and Navi Mumbai police, had been hunting Khan for the past two years. He was finally apprehended and produced in the Mangaon Court and remanded in police custody till September 27.
He has been charged under Sections 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (forging documents), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention and abetment) of the Indian Penal Code.
Khan, a native of Uttar Pradesh, owns two properties in Navi Mumbai. He runs several companies, including petrochemical and chemical companies in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh, and also owns a construction company. “His arrest will help us get to the bottom of the scam and apprehend the bigger players,” says Satya Pal Singh, special inspector general of police, Konkan Range.
The police are now looking into the possibility of booking Khan under the stringent MCOCA Act, which will allow prosecutors to charge him for organised crime and prevent him from being released on bail.
The scam first came to light in 2004, when assistant police inspector Nitin Patil filed a private complaint in the MCOCA Court in Mumbai. It states that the operation was carried out by several high-profile people including petrol pump owners, businessmen and police officers of Maharashtra.
A police source says that the inter-state adulteration operation is among the biggest scams in India. “The reason it is so rampant is because adulterating petrol or diesel is easy. Each litre of adulterated fuel consists of 10 per cent pure petrol/diesel, 90 per cent naphtha and additive chemicals,” he says.
Every day more than 2,500 trucks, with a capacity of 10,000 litres each, supply adulterated fuel to pumps in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. “By a rough estimate, the adulterators get a profit of over Rs50 crore a day,” he says.
One of the key players behind the multi-crore fuel adulteration scam is behind bars. In a major breakthrough, the Mangaon police in Raigad district on Sunday arrested Samruddin Khan, 45, who is wanted in more than six cases of oil adulteration in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Raigad. A police source says Khan is a kingpin in the fuel adulteration scam.
The Mumbai police, along with the Thane and Navi Mumbai police, had been hunting Khan for the past two years. He was finally apprehended and produced in the Mangaon Court and remanded in police custody till September 27.
He has been charged under Sections 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (forging documents), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention and abetment) of the Indian Penal Code.
Khan, a native of Uttar Pradesh, owns two properties in Navi Mumbai. He runs several companies, including petrochemical and chemical companies in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh, and also owns a construction company. “His arrest will help us get to the bottom of the scam and apprehend the bigger players,” says Satya Pal Singh, special inspector general of police, Konkan Range.
The police are now looking into the possibility of booking Khan under the stringent MCOCA Act, which will allow prosecutors to charge him for organised crime and prevent him from being released on bail.
The scam first came to light in 2004, when assistant police inspector Nitin Patil filed a private complaint in the MCOCA Court in Mumbai. It states that the operation was carried out by several high-profile people including petrol pump owners, businessmen and police officers of Maharashtra.
A police source says that the inter-state adulteration operation is among the biggest scams in India. “The reason it is so rampant is because adulterating petrol or diesel is easy. Each litre of adulterated fuel consists of 10 per cent pure petrol/diesel, 90 per cent naphtha and additive chemicals,” he says.
Every day more than 2,500 trucks, with a capacity of 10,000 litres each, supply adulterated fuel to pumps in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. “By a rough estimate, the adulterators get a profit of over Rs50 crore a day,” he says.
Lonely evenings ahead for toddy-loving Keralites
Government wants to sell only pure and hygienic toddy, but tipplers can’t do without the adulterated one as it gives a better high
KOLLAM(Kerala): For the thirsty traveler, nothing equals washing down a plate of spicy fish curry with a bottle of local toddy by the backwaters of Kerala.
There might be curtains drawn on this idyllic act soon enough though. Adulterated toddy, the local heady brew in the state, has been replaced by pure toddy after the excise department came down on shops selling it.
Following the death of three people on consumption of adulterated toddy during the Onam celebrations, shops have stopped selling the heady brew. This has driven away the regular customers, who have been denied their daily dose of Rs10 a glass toddy. As a result, the toddy-tapping industry is facing a crisis.
The state administration can safely take credit for this. The Left Democratic Front government has taken a vow to sell only ‘pure’ and ‘hygienic’ toddy across the shops in the state.
The Kerala Abkari Shops Disposal (Amendment) Rules 2007 stipulates that toddy on sale “should be natural and conform to such specifications and comply with such restrictions as may be notified by the government.”
A further spoiler to high spirits is the set of new rules that warn against adding any agent that increases the potency of toddy or alter its natural composition. Alcohol content of coconut toddy should not exceed 8.1 percent and palm toddy, 5.2 percent, according to the rules. It should also be free of external alcohol content and possess natural flavour and aroma.
All these conditions have been a severe blow to the toddy-selling shops. “You wouldn’t find a litre of toddy in this shop a month ago. Every drop would have gone into making Kala Pani (adulterated toddy in local parlance),” a shop manager said on condition of anonymity.
“Many shops have closed down because there are no takers for pure toddy. People want something to knock them out,” said assistant excise commissioner KN Mohan Lal told DNA.
Figures based on the department’s findings reveal a similar story. Out of the 26,499 coconut trees marked for tapping in Kollam, only 11,295 trees have been tapped.
The flow of toddy from Palakkad district – 11,295 litres a day – has also stopped ever since Kala Pani fell into disgrace.
The government has now decided to reopen 1610 toddy shops that were closed down during the previous regime for want of entrepreneurs.
But if the lackadaisical Kerala government intends to earn some much-needed revenue, it better turn a blind eye to the much-loved ‘adulteration’ that goes on in the state.
KOLLAM(Kerala): For the thirsty traveler, nothing equals washing down a plate of spicy fish curry with a bottle of local toddy by the backwaters of Kerala.
There might be curtains drawn on this idyllic act soon enough though. Adulterated toddy, the local heady brew in the state, has been replaced by pure toddy after the excise department came down on shops selling it.
Following the death of three people on consumption of adulterated toddy during the Onam celebrations, shops have stopped selling the heady brew. This has driven away the regular customers, who have been denied their daily dose of Rs10 a glass toddy. As a result, the toddy-tapping industry is facing a crisis.
The state administration can safely take credit for this. The Left Democratic Front government has taken a vow to sell only ‘pure’ and ‘hygienic’ toddy across the shops in the state.
The Kerala Abkari Shops Disposal (Amendment) Rules 2007 stipulates that toddy on sale “should be natural and conform to such specifications and comply with such restrictions as may be notified by the government.”
A further spoiler to high spirits is the set of new rules that warn against adding any agent that increases the potency of toddy or alter its natural composition. Alcohol content of coconut toddy should not exceed 8.1 percent and palm toddy, 5.2 percent, according to the rules. It should also be free of external alcohol content and possess natural flavour and aroma.
All these conditions have been a severe blow to the toddy-selling shops. “You wouldn’t find a litre of toddy in this shop a month ago. Every drop would have gone into making Kala Pani (adulterated toddy in local parlance),” a shop manager said on condition of anonymity.
“Many shops have closed down because there are no takers for pure toddy. People want something to knock them out,” said assistant excise commissioner KN Mohan Lal told DNA.
Figures based on the department’s findings reveal a similar story. Out of the 26,499 coconut trees marked for tapping in Kollam, only 11,295 trees have been tapped.
The flow of toddy from Palakkad district – 11,295 litres a day – has also stopped ever since Kala Pani fell into disgrace.
The government has now decided to reopen 1610 toddy shops that were closed down during the previous regime for want of entrepreneurs.
But if the lackadaisical Kerala government intends to earn some much-needed revenue, it better turn a blind eye to the much-loved ‘adulteration’ that goes on in the state.
Cola norms by the yearend, says govt
Union Health Secretary PK Hota said on Thursday that new Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) norms to fix the maximum residue level (MRL) of pesticides in cold drinks will be notified by the yearend.
The norms are being prepared by an expert team. “It’s a complex process,” Hota said. “All stakeholders, including nine ministries and the manufacturers, are being taken into account. We are also looking at world norms.”
There are international norms on MRLs for all food products and beverages, including wine and alcohol, but none for carbonated water. Hence, cola companies worldwide are guided by MRL norms for packaged drinking water.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee set up in 2003 had noted that despite water being the major constituent of soft drinks the PFA and Food Products Order (FPO) do not lay down sufficient standards.
Even the voluntary specification of the Bureau of Indian Standards for carbonated beverages, which says water quality standard in manufacturing soft drinks should be equal to that of processed food industry, does not mention pesticides.
A health ministry official said a draft notification to regulate pesticide limits in soft drinks had been submitted in 2003 but was withdrawn as the JPC was already framing guidelines. A technical committee was constituted after the JPC’s recommendations. The Centre for Science and Environment’s Sunita Narain is a member of the committee.
The technical committee believes the norms should be decided unanimously by manufacturers and regulators. “There are 42 issues on the list of which there are differences only on two - caffeine and pesticide levels. But these are the crucial points on which unanimity in needed,” a senior official of the Union consumer affairs ministry, which is responsible for BIS norms, said.
The official highlighted another problem - lack of implementation. Though the BIS has had norms for carbonated water (not including pesticide levels) in place since 1963, they have not been adopted by the industry. “The adoption of norms has to be voluntary. But since 1963 not a single application for licence has come from carbonated drinks manufacturers. There are 18,000 BIS norms for various things, but half of them are not used.”
The norms are being prepared by an expert team. “It’s a complex process,” Hota said. “All stakeholders, including nine ministries and the manufacturers, are being taken into account. We are also looking at world norms.”
There are international norms on MRLs for all food products and beverages, including wine and alcohol, but none for carbonated water. Hence, cola companies worldwide are guided by MRL norms for packaged drinking water.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee set up in 2003 had noted that despite water being the major constituent of soft drinks the PFA and Food Products Order (FPO) do not lay down sufficient standards.
Even the voluntary specification of the Bureau of Indian Standards for carbonated beverages, which says water quality standard in manufacturing soft drinks should be equal to that of processed food industry, does not mention pesticides.
A health ministry official said a draft notification to regulate pesticide limits in soft drinks had been submitted in 2003 but was withdrawn as the JPC was already framing guidelines. A technical committee was constituted after the JPC’s recommendations. The Centre for Science and Environment’s Sunita Narain is a member of the committee.
The technical committee believes the norms should be decided unanimously by manufacturers and regulators. “There are 42 issues on the list of which there are differences only on two - caffeine and pesticide levels. But these are the crucial points on which unanimity in needed,” a senior official of the Union consumer affairs ministry, which is responsible for BIS norms, said.
The official highlighted another problem - lack of implementation. Though the BIS has had norms for carbonated water (not including pesticide levels) in place since 1963, they have not been adopted by the industry. “The adoption of norms has to be voluntary. But since 1963 not a single application for licence has come from carbonated drinks manufacturers. There are 18,000 BIS norms for various things, but half of them are not used.”
No more rum in your chocolate, says Govt
Smoke, drink, and be merry. No one will stop you. But if you want to have tobacco and alcohol in your food products, perish the thought. The government wants to ban all food products containing tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and nicotine.
“We plan to get strict on the issue,” Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said. “It has been decided to ban tobacco and alcohol in food products.”
The health ministry has issued a draft notification, GSR 694(E), which says: “Tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in the manufacture of proprietary products.” It says food products “should not contain any substance that may be injurious to health”.
Proprietary food means a food that has not been standardised under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955.
Hence, mouth-fresheners, chocolates, candies, and cakes laced with liqueurs or rum would be out of bounds for those who love to imbibe a bit without actually drinking it.
The manufacture or sale of zarda pilau, nicotine-laced chewing gum, lollipop, and candy, and packaged paan containing tobacco would be prohibited.
Products like marmalades and jams containing alcohol, nicotine-laced water, and tobacco-laced dental hygiene products too would be out. “While tobacco and alcohol can be consumed separately, they cannot be mixed in any food or consumable item and sold in the market,” a health ministry official said.
The proposal would even ban the import of such confectionery. “Many such chocolates are sold near schools and minors consume them,” the official said.
Actually, even the tobacco-laced paan that your neighbourhood paanwallah dishes out is illegal, but then who will police him - except, perhaps, you? “It’s difficult to prevent the sale of such paans at every corner shop,” the official admitted, “so we can only prevent it in packaged products. If packed paans are sold, then they should not have tobacco in it. While plain paan masala can be sold in the market, it cannot be sold laced with tobacco.”
Meanwhile, the tobacco manufacturers are taking up the matter. They have made a strong representation to the ministry.
A survey sponsored by the World Health Organisation and conducted by Dr Prakash Gupta, director, Healis Sekhsariya Institute for Public Health in Mumbai, found that a substantial percentage of schoolchildren use dental-care products containing tobacco.
Fourteen states, including Maharashtra, were covered in the survey.
“The survey of 13- to 15-year-old children revealed that a large percentage use dental-care products containing tobacco. These products include lal dantamanjans (red toothpastes) under various brand names, and other dental-care products like gudaku (a paste of tobacco and molasses), misri (containing powdered, roasted tobacco) and gul,” Dr Gupta said.
Welcoming the ministry’s proposal, he said, “The effect of these products is as habit-forming as any other tobacco product. Most parents do not realise that these are addictive products and their children are slowly moving towards becoming full tobacco consumers.”
Despite a law that was made effective in 1992, which prohibits the use of tobacco in dental-care products, not many obey it. “These lobbies are very smart and escape using loopholes in the law. Now we will plug all such loopholes,” Health Secretary Prasanna Hota said.
“We plan to get strict on the issue,” Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said. “It has been decided to ban tobacco and alcohol in food products.”
The health ministry has issued a draft notification, GSR 694(E), which says: “Tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in the manufacture of proprietary products.” It says food products “should not contain any substance that may be injurious to health”.
Proprietary food means a food that has not been standardised under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955.
Hence, mouth-fresheners, chocolates, candies, and cakes laced with liqueurs or rum would be out of bounds for those who love to imbibe a bit without actually drinking it.
The manufacture or sale of zarda pilau, nicotine-laced chewing gum, lollipop, and candy, and packaged paan containing tobacco would be prohibited.
Products like marmalades and jams containing alcohol, nicotine-laced water, and tobacco-laced dental hygiene products too would be out. “While tobacco and alcohol can be consumed separately, they cannot be mixed in any food or consumable item and sold in the market,” a health ministry official said.
The proposal would even ban the import of such confectionery. “Many such chocolates are sold near schools and minors consume them,” the official said.
Actually, even the tobacco-laced paan that your neighbourhood paanwallah dishes out is illegal, but then who will police him - except, perhaps, you? “It’s difficult to prevent the sale of such paans at every corner shop,” the official admitted, “so we can only prevent it in packaged products. If packed paans are sold, then they should not have tobacco in it. While plain paan masala can be sold in the market, it cannot be sold laced with tobacco.”
Meanwhile, the tobacco manufacturers are taking up the matter. They have made a strong representation to the ministry.
A survey sponsored by the World Health Organisation and conducted by Dr Prakash Gupta, director, Healis Sekhsariya Institute for Public Health in Mumbai, found that a substantial percentage of schoolchildren use dental-care products containing tobacco.
Fourteen states, including Maharashtra, were covered in the survey.
“The survey of 13- to 15-year-old children revealed that a large percentage use dental-care products containing tobacco. These products include lal dantamanjans (red toothpastes) under various brand names, and other dental-care products like gudaku (a paste of tobacco and molasses), misri (containing powdered, roasted tobacco) and gul,” Dr Gupta said.
Welcoming the ministry’s proposal, he said, “The effect of these products is as habit-forming as any other tobacco product. Most parents do not realise that these are addictive products and their children are slowly moving towards becoming full tobacco consumers.”
Despite a law that was made effective in 1992, which prohibits the use of tobacco in dental-care products, not many obey it. “These lobbies are very smart and escape using loopholes in the law. Now we will plug all such loopholes,” Health Secretary Prasanna Hota said.
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