Acting on confidential information received by the FDA Commissioner’s Office, officials had been monitoring the suspected vehicles for the past eight to 12 days. As part of the covert operation, the administration intercepted four trucks in the Budhwar Peth area of Pune and seized a large stock of khava and paneer.
FDA officials said the vehicles arrived at around 6 am carrying khava and paneer. Around 12,500 kg of paneer, valued at Rs 27 lakh according to the officials’ information, was seized, while khava worth Rs 11 lakh was also confiscated. The paneer consignments had arrived from Karnataka, while the khava consignments had come from Washim.
Officials said all bills related to the consignments would be checked and action would be taken against those whose bills are found in violation. The seized khava and paneer were reportedly intended to be supplied to around 20 to 25 vendors. Officials said action would be taken against anyone found responsible.
During the action, around 460 kg of khava reportedly brought from the Barshi direction was seized. Its market value was stated to be Rs 11.60 lakh. The khava was being transported in highly unhygienic conditions, wrapped in 20-kg bundles and concealed in gunny bags. Samples of the khava have been collected and sent for laboratory testing, while the process of destroying the remaining stock has been initiated.
In a separate action, two vehicles entering Pune from areas around the Karnataka border, including Belagavi and Bagalkot, were intercepted. Around 12,500 to 12,600 kg of paneer was seized from the two vehicles. The total value of the paneer was put at Rs 27.83 lakh. The consignment included three varieties of paneer: malai paneer, low-fat paneer and medium-fat paneer.
According to the preliminary assessment, the fat content in the paneer was found to be suspicious, raising a strong possibility that the products could be unsafe for human consumption. Samples of all the seized food products have been sent to the state laboratory for testing.
The investigation has also indicated that the stock had been ordered for sale by around 25 to 40 traders and sweet shops in Pune city and district. The administration said that if the laboratory reports establish that the food products were adulterated or unsafe, cases and prosecutions would be initiated directly against the concerned suppliers, buyers and sellers under Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
The FDA has been conducting the special drive to prevent adulteration as demand for sweets and food products rises during Ganeshotsav. The seizure of the four trucks has triggered concern among food businesses in Pune, while the laboratory reports are expected to determine further action in the case.
Meanwhile, Bansi Doiphode, a farmer from Washim who had brought khava, said the product was original and contained no adulteration. He said they had prepared the khava themselves using cow and buffalo milk and that he had personally brought it to Pune.
Doiphode said he had suffered a loss of Rs 40,000. He said that if the khava sample fails the test, the authorities should hang them, asserting that they are farmers engaged in the business of preparing khava. He said farmers have to work hard to prepare khava because facilities are not available in villages and then bring it to Pune for sale.
He also said Tukaram Mundhe should relax some of the rules, claiming that farmers are bearing the impact while traders are not facing the same setback.
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