FGG: Rampant food adulteration in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Forum for Good Governance (FGG) on Tuesday demanded that Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao take up appointment of Food Safety Officers (FSOs) to control the increasing incidence of food adulteration.

FGG Secretary Padmanabha Reddy said the adulteration of food including ripening of fruits using chemicals is going on unchecked in Hyderabad. "FGG has made several representations since 2015 for the appointment of FSOs. The High Court has directed Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to control the artificial ripening of fruits through chemicals.

As there are only three FSOs in GHMC, they were unable to work effectively. The government had sanctioned 26 posts issuing GO 530 on September 1, 2017. However, it took nearly two-and-a-half years by the time the public service commission selected 20 candidates out of the 26 posts," he added.

He criticised the government for not giving appointment to the selected candidates. Now and then the GHMC officials conduct raids on eateries and impose penalty for unclean kitchens, but they fail to test the contents of food that is being served. There were media reports about adulterated milk and milk power but there is no action from the GHMC," he said.