Officials inspect shops
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 01 2014 :
Officials of Food Safety Standard Wing today launched a special drive at Khwairamband Keithel to check quality of eatables being sold by traders as well as to verify whether they possess valid documents to ply their trade.
It is said that the drive is in compliance with a Central Government instruction to check unfair trade practices and ensure that the common people are not duped by unlicensed traders through sale of substandard food items.
The drive was carried out under the joint supervision of nine Food Safety Officers (FSO) representing the nine districts of Manipur with the first day covering shops located in Masjid Road.
According to Imphal West district FSO Yumnam Seitajit the drive aimed at effectively prohibiting sale of sub-standard food items and to caution the traders about legal implication if they do not conform to prescribed norms of Food Safety Standard Act.
While shopkeeper, who could not furnish valid documents such as trade license were asked to register and duly issued registration forms, those unwilling to comply with the guidelines were penalised by confiscating their goods, said the FSO adding that more intense inspection drive would be carried out till February 4, also the deadline for the shop-owners to possess trade license.
Not complying to Food Safety Standard Act guidelines would entail prison term of six years and Rs 6 lakh penalty, Seitajit informed.