GURGAON: Around 600kg of paneer being transported in drums for supply to food business operators in Gurgaon was found unfit for human consumption during an inspection on Friday night, with Haryana Food and Drug Administration commissioner Manoj Kumar monitoring the action.The paneer was subsequently destroyed by the food safety team and dumped in a pit on Saturday to ensure it could not re-enter the food chain. The vehicle carrying the consignment had been stopped by police at Rojka Meo, following which the food safety team was called to the spot for inspection.Nuh deputy commissioner Akhil Pilani said the administration would intensify the crackdown on such units and coordinate with other departments, including the pollution control board, to take action against establishments found violating norms. “We will crack down further on these units and also coordinate with departments such as the pollution control board to ensure strict action against violators,” he said.The paneer was found to be in a condition unsuitable for human consumption, while the driver told officials that it was being transported from Bajidpur in Punhana for supply to different food business operators in Gurgaon. The food safety team prevented the consignment from entering the food supply chain and, with the consent of the person transporting it, destroyed the entire quantity by burying it in a pit at the site.The action comes as the Nuh administration has intensified surprise inspections and raids following a TOI sting operation highlighting the movement and supply of unsafe paneer from the region. Officials have been carrying out checks at food establishments as well as during the transportation of food products to prevent unsafe food from reaching consumers.In a separate action on Thursday, around 500kg of paneer and 100kg of milk were destroyed after a surprise inspection by the Chief Minister Flying Squad, Faridabad, at a dairy in Khaika village of Palwal. During the inspection, cleanliness and hygiene conditions at the premises were found to be unsatisfactory, following which the food products were destroyed.On Sept 10, a TOI report, ‘Analogue alarm: How synthetic paneer takes a Gondola ride to your plate,’ had flagged how clandestine manufacturing hubs in the Gondola belt were producing large batches of synthetic or analogue paneer using skimmed milk mixed with palm oil, vegetable fats and soya paste. Following the report, nearly 7,600kg of synthetic paneer was seized during overnight raids at three units along Gurgaon canal in Gondola village and one in Nai from 9pm on Sept 10 to 5am.Last month, the Haryana government banned all forms of non-dairy paneer after finding their presence in a large number of samples tested at labs. Food safety commissioner Manoj Kumar also issued a one-year statewide prohibition under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, covering analogue or non-dairy paneer and barring its preparation using milk powder or vegetable oil. Officials were instructed to seize stocks and initiate criminal prosecution under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.
