Black marketing of covid-19 drugs, using chemical ‘ethephon’ by fruit merchants to provide artificial ripening and selling expired food items unabashedly at shops and stores, all this happenings make people dejected and resentful about the ineffective official mechanism especially the impassive attitude of the drug and food inspectors who are failing to rein in such cases with a deterrent approach.
After the reports of black marketing of covid-19 drugs and ‘ethephon’ induced fruits being sold in the markets emerged in the media, a fresh incident of selling expired stock of biscuits at Patanjali Arogya Kendra store is reported from Hyderguda that left many people worried. Though the Rajendranagar police have booked a case and are investigating the matter, the action from the concerned food inspector is still missing.
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The incident came to light on 17th May when a customer purchased a bunch of biscuit packets from Patanjali Arogya Kendra & Store at Hyderguda under Rajendranagar and left for home. He flabbergasted later after finding that the packaging date on the food packets was mentioned as 11th September 2020 with a special mention that says “Best before six months from Packaging.”
“I returned back to Patanjali Arogya Kendra & Store along with the Patanjali branded biscuit packets I bought home on 17th May with expired dates, however, the owner not only refused to repent and accept his criminal misdeed but have responded cantankerously. Later, I informed the police who soon turned on the spot and took into custody the stock of the biscuits. The police later even booked a petty case against the store owner,” informed Om Reddy, the complainant.
“This is not the first incident,” said Om Reddy, adding that “Earlier too, the same store fond selling outdated food biscuits but it did not compel me to brought the matter to the notice of police as the issue is confined to only one biscuit packet earlier. This time I bought atleast 10 packets and all of them were found carrying the expiry dates.”
“How can we provide these biscuits to our children to eat? If something happened to our children will this kind of store keepers be held accountable for their criminal negligence,” he argued.
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Interestingly, the local food inspector came into the picture only after three days of the incident despite the whole episode emerging in electronic media at the same moment. Earlier when contacted, the food inspector Dasharath told the HANS India that he is unaware of the incident and assured to visit the spot next day saying he is presently at his native village. The official later said that he can’t make a visit to the store and enquire about the matter until the complainant himself makes a call to him and explains the things. This is despite the official conferred with the responsibility of food inspector – a designated authority, to check such sort of incidents under his area of operation.
“The biscuit stock being confiscated from the store has been found with expired dates and we have booked a petty case in the issue. We even bond over the owner but the issue largely comes under the purview of the food safety department of GHMC. The food inspector should pour over the issue and report to the concerned department for necessary action,” said Circle Inspector K.Kanakaiah.
“When the High Court often takes suo moto cognizance of several reports appeared in the section of media what hinders an official to enquire the matter by himself that too the issue was already brought into his notice,” said Sravan Kumar, Convenor Telangana Jagruti, Rajendranagar.
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“The service of officials gain prominence and plays a key role especially at the time of emergencies and pandemic but in present situation it is being witnessed that people where left onto tender mercies of some wayward merchants while the officials playing truant from shouldering responsibilities by keeping themselves away from the duties,” rued Sai Mallik, GHMC Ward Member Budvel-60.
