Kochi corporation's mobile food testing lab remains non-operational

Time of India

2 days ago

Kochi: Kochi corporation's mobile lab intended to check food adulteration remains dysfunctional for the past one-and-half years due to various reasons, including lack of competent officials to collect and test food samples.
Recently, three persons who had food from a restaurant in Pallimukku were admitted to hospital due to food poisoning. "The incidents of food adulteration are increasing day by day. The corporation authorities are not taking any steps to make the mobile lab, procured using CSR funds, operational," said UDF parliamentary party secretary in Kochi corporation M G Aristotle.
At a meeting held on Jan 8, 2024, corporation authorities had decided to constitute a special team to operate the facility.
It was also decided to conduct the operations of the lab at least thrice a week. Another decision was to seek the support of officials with the food safety department to conduct the tests once a week. "But the decisions were not implemented. We are demanding that the corporation authorities should take steps to make the facility operational at the earliest," said Antony Kureethra, opposition leader in the corporation.
"The decision to appoint an analyst to collect the food samples has not been implemented yet," he added.
According to corporation officials, lack of cooperation from food safety department has hindered making the facility operational. "Corporation officials lack the competence to test the food samples. That is why we seek the cooperation of food safety department officials. But they are not supporting us," a corporation official said.
"We held talks with the food safety commissioner and the department has agreed to provide their staff once a week. We have conducted an interview to appoint an analyst. So, we expect that the mobile lab can be operational without much delay," said health standing committee chairman T K Asharaf.
However, officials with the food safety department in the district said that they have not received any instructions from the department headquarters to provide its staff to conduct tests on behalf of the corporation. "We are short staffed and can't spare our officials. Moreover, we are conducting regular inspections to check food adulteration," an official with the food safety department said.