Market to be monitored to check substandard food items

By Our Correspondent,Waling, Feb. 9: The municipalities of Syangja have committed to cooperating with market monitoring, regulation and management of food items that lack quality standards and control packed food items without proper labelling and adulterated food. 

During a programme organised by the Food Technology and Quality Control Office, Pokhara, in Waling of Syangja, deputy mayors of all the 11 local governments of the district said that they would cooperate for effective market monitoring in the district.

The transportation of food items falling behind quality standards set by the government via highway can be checked if the authorities in all municipalities are attentive.

Kabita Tiwari Gaire, Deputy Mayor of Waling Municipality, said that the responsibility of market monitoring has been given to the local level, and cooperation among all municipalities would help control the selling of adulterated items.

She said that it was their job to make citizens responsible for food hygiene and quality.

Tiwari said, "Traders should be held responsible and citizens should be aware of the food they are consuming."

Speaking at the programme, Food Research Officer Bijan Shrestha said that as market monitoring was weak, citizens were consuming adulterated food.

He said, "It is a must to control the distribution of unhealthy foods items by strengthening the market monitoring activities, as the health of the citizens is all that matters.”

 According to Shrestha, there is no good agricultural production practice and expired and inedible food products are found almost everywhere in the market.

He said that it would be easier to manage and regulate the market if the local bodies used their authority in market monitoring and taking action against offenders.

Deputy Chief of District Coordination Committee Syangja Khadka Raj Subedi, chief of Area Administration Office, Waling Ghanashyam Gautam and others said that they would work together with the municipality for market monitoring and regulation to ensure that consumers are not cheated and they get to buy the quality products.