Mangaluru: ‘Watch Teams’ planned at district, taluk levels to monitor food safety - U T Khader

Mangaluru, Aug 22: Health and family welfare minister U T Khader said that the government is considering forming ‘Watch Teams’ at the district and taluk levels to continuously monitor food safety and fake medicines.

Speaking at a press conference here on Saturday, he said a QR code has been created to make it easier for the public to lodge complaints regarding unsafe food and fake medicines. Instructions will be issued to display the QR code in front of every hotel and medical store.

More than 400 complaints were received within two days of the QR code being introduced. Food safety officers are visiting the locations from where complaints are received and conducting inspections, he said.

The existing officials can carry out this work within their respective jurisdictions. However, the initiative needs to be implemented on a wider scale and awareness among the public must be maintained continuously. Therefore, the government is considering forming ‘Watch Teams’ comprising retired officials, retired professors, experts and senior citizens interested in social service, and giving them specific powers. A decision will be taken after examining the legal provisions, he said.

Khader said the network involved in fake medicines is not limited to Karnataka, and there is a possibility that counterfeit medicines could be manufactured in other states and brought into Karnataka. Referring to the counterfeit medicine manufacturing racket detected near Bidadi, he said an SIT has been formed for a comprehensive investigation into the issue.