Agrawal, the owner of Kanhaiya Ghee Packaging Industry and issued arrest warrants against Narendra Maskey, the owner of Corner Taja Gudpak Bhandar for selling substandard sweets
KATHMANDU, SEP 07 - It seems the government has finally woken up after recent revelations that sweet manufacturers were using substandard materials and preparing sweets in unhygeinic conditions.
On Wednesday, police arrested Yog Prasad Agrawal, the owner of Kanhaiya Ghee Packaging Industry, for selling adulterated ghee in the market and also issued arrest warrants against Narendra Maskey, the owner of Corner Taja Gudpak Bhandar, and owners of Shri Krishna Gudpak Bhandar and Anmol Catering and Sweets, for selling substandard sweets, Superintendent of Police Kedar Rijal said.
According to the Director General of the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, Jivan Prabha Lama, a government lab report has revealed that Kanhaiya Ghee had zero percent original fat and that the company was found to have been using animal fat.
Sources said the company may have been using fat wastage of pork and water buffalo, which is available at throwaway prices in Kathmandu's meat market.
The offenders will be tried under the Black Marketing Act 1975, which provisions one to two years of prison term or Rs 5,000 to 10,000 in fine or both.
"Since these cases have been registered at the District Administration Office, we have no other option but to go through the Black Marketing Act," said Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, the Chief District Officer of Kathmandu.
The police crackdown follows a strong directive from the Finance and Labour Relations Committee (FLRC) and increased concern from all quarters in view of the upcoming festivals like Dashain and Tihar. The parliamentary panel, which had summoned government officials to discuss the issue, directed authorities to continue market inspections throughout the year.
Chandra Ghimire, officiating secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, said the ministry has been facing problems as they lack the required manpower and funds to control illegal activities in the market.
"We need at least a semi-judicial legal authority to take immediate action," he said.
Following the meeting, the committee directed the officials to submit a detailed report on the places
inspected, the directives issued and details of action taken.
The committee also directed the government to provide the needed resources, additional security personnel and manpower to conduct effective market monitoring.
Keeping in view the black marketing of air and bus tickets during the festivals, the committee directed the government to carry out inspections in this sector too.
According to the Kathmandu CDO, the Kathmandu District Administration Office has formed five units to look over five sectors--food, petroleum products, meat items, medicine and weighing standards. Dhakal said the units will keep an eye on the market up to mid-October in the first phase of the plan.
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