— EXTENSIVE CHECKING OF FOOD ADULTERATION VIA ‘FOOD SAFETY ON WHEELS’ FROM APRIL 1-15: DR BALBIR SINGH
— GROUNDBREAKING STUDIES ORDERED TO TEST FOR PESTICIDES, HEAVY METALS IN VEGETABLES AND NUTRACEUTICALS
— HEALTH MINISTER STRESSES ON INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION FOR ROBUST SCIENTIFIC MONITORING OF FOOD CHAIN
CHANDIGARH, March 5:
Reaffirming the commitment of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to ensure safe and healthy food for the people of the state, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting and announced the launch of a massive, targeted campaign for food testing. The Minister declared that the government is leaving no stone unturned to provide ‘Shudh Ann’ (pure food) to the people of Punjab.
Presiding over a meeting with senior officials, public health experts, and representatives from key regulatory and scientific institutions at his office here, Dr Balbir Singh directed the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to run a 15-day statewide campaign from April 1 to 15, 2026, for the extensive checking of food adulteration through ‘Food Safety on Wheels’ (FSWs) vans.
Emphasising that these mobile vans are a crucial tool in the fight against food adulteration, the Health Minister urged all Food Business Operators (FBOs) and the general public to get their samples checked during this special campaign to ensure their food is not adulterated and complied with safety standards. The campaign will focus on educating FBOs and utilising the FSWs for on-the-spot testing, he said.
Notably, ‘Food Safety on Wheels’ are Mobile Food Testing Vans, which are equipped for screening of adulteration among major categories of Food including milk, ghee, paneer, water, spices, food supplements, sweets, fruits, vegetables, and other daily consumables.
The Minister has also approved a time-bound action plan for systematic sampling and testing of chemical residues and contaminants across the state. Key studies to be undertaken include an investigation into heavy metal and pesticide contamination in vegetables grown around industrial areas and drains, while, nutraceuticals will be comprehensively tested and a separate study to detect antibiotic residues in poultry, egg, and meat will be carried out.
He stressed that the data derived from these studies will guide future regulatory decisions and policy interventions.
The Minister directed all concerned departments to work in close coordination, reiterating that food adulteration will not be tolerated and strict action will be initiated against anyone found indulging in such activities. He also urged all FBOs, including street food vendors, to register themselves with the FDA and adopt the “Eat Right, Stay Healthy” approach to contribute to building a healthier and nutritionally secure Punjab.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Health Kumar Rahul, Principal Secretary Agriculture Arshdeep Singh Thind, Commissioner FDA Kanwal Preet Brar, Member Punjab Development Commission Anurag Kundu, Vice Chancellor GADVASU Dr JS Gill, Director Health Services Dr Hitinder Kaur, Director Research and Medical Education Dr Avnish Kumar, Principal Director AIMS Mohali, CEO PBTI, Senior Scientists from PPCB, Director Agriculture, Horticulture, representative Professors from PAU, GADVASU and AIIMS, Officials from Food and Drugs Administration.
