The state government will take strict action against those selling adulterated and unsafe food items: Aarti Singh Rao

Chandigarh, February 2026 – Haryana Health Minister Aarti Singh Rao said that the state government will take strict action against those selling adulterated and unsafe food items. A zero-tolerance policy has been adopted against adulteration, and instructions have been issued to conduct raids against those playing with public health. This campaign will continue further.

Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Haryana, Dr. Manoj Kumar said that with the objective of providing safe and quality food items to the people of the state, the Haryana Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a special drive against milk and milk products. From December 2025 to January 20, 2026, samples of paneer, desi ghee, milk and other milk products were collected from various districts of the state and sent to government laboratories for testing.

Based on the test reports, several samples were found unsafe, substandard and misbranded. Thereafter, the department has initiated legal action against the concerned Food Business Operators (FBOs) under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Action taken in these districts

Dr. Manoj Kumar said that vendors in several districts including Palwal, Hisar, Nuh, Mahendragarh, Jhajjar, Rewari and Panipat were inspected. At many places, samples of paneer and desi ghee failed, and their sale has been banned. In some cases, action such as sealing of shops and registration of FIRs has also been taken, while in other cases legal proceedings are underway.

He said that in Palwal, paneer from the milk plant of Shri Saikul Khan son of Shri Jangi was found unsafe and substandard. Similarly, in Hisar district, raids were conducted at Radhika Enterprises and samples of desi ghee were taken, which were found unsafe, substandard and prohibited for sale. In this case, the shops of Shri Surender Kumar son of Shri Ramchand and Shri Amit Sachdeva son of Shri Surender Kumar were sealed and an FIR was also registered. In the same district, samples of desi ghee were taken from the enterprises of Shri Shiv Kumar son of Shri Rishikesh, Dinesh Singal son of Sher Singal and Shri Ravinder son of Shri Krishna, which were found unsafe, substandard and prohibited for sale. In Nuh district, the branding of desi ghee of Shri Zakaria Khan son of Shahid Ahmed was found incorrect. In the same district, paneer was tested at the establishments of Mohammad Sohail son of Tahir and Tahir son of Aslam, which was found unsafe, substandard and prohibited for sale.

He informed that in Mahendragarh district, desi ghee samples at the establishments of Shri Ankit Sharma son of Shri Shiv Kumar, manufacturer M/s Param Dairy Limited and distributor Guru Nanak Sales Agency were found unsafe, substandard and prohibited for sale. In the same district, a desi ghee sample was taken at My Dairy Milk, which was found unsafe, substandard and prohibited for sale. In view of this, legal action is being taken against Shri Radheshyam son of Shri Chhote Lal, M/s Soni Saras Dairy and manufacturer M/s Riddhi Siddhi Food Products, Tosham.

Dr. Manoj Kumar further said that in Jhajjar district, a raid was conducted on Shri Krishna Desi Ghee, where desi ghee was found unsafe, substandard and prohibited for sale, and legal action is being taken against Shri Gaurav son of Kashmiri Lal, M/s Gaurav Kiryana Store. In Rewari district, a raid was conducted at Dairy Nice Shuddh Desi Ghee establishment, where the ghee was found unsafe, substandard and prohibited for sale. Thereafter, legal action is being taken against Shri Atul Gupta son of Shri Krishan Chand, M/s Atul Agencies. In Panipat district, a sample of desi ghee was taken from M/s Ankur Dairy, which was found unsafe on testing, and legal action is being taken against Shri Rajat son of Shri Rampal in this matter.

He also informed that in the year 2025-26, due to non-compliance with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the concerned officer cancelled 4 licenses and 2 registrations of Food Business Operators (FBOs).

Sale of soya products in open form is prohibited

Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Haryana, Dr. Manoj Kumar said that many food business operators are selling products that look similar to milk products in the name of paneer, whereas in reality these are made from soya powder and vegetable (refined) oils or chemicals, which is an offence under Section 26 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the rules and regulations made thereunder. As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the rules and regulations made thereunder, sale of soya products in open form is prohibited. All manufacturers selling products prepared from soya products or refined/vegetable oils or other chemicals in the name of paneer/ghee will be prosecuted under Section 26 in accordance with License Condition No. 6 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, and their license will be cancelled for manufacturing products other than those mentioned in the food business operator’s license.

He said that if a sample of paneer/ghee or any other food product is found to be of inferior quality/unsafe for the second time and is misbranded, then as per the provisions of Section 64(1)(iii) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the license/registration of the food business operator will be cancelled.

Dr. Manoj Kumar said that hotel, restaurant, club canteen, caterers, food vending agencies, dhabas, boarding houses serving food, home-based canteens/dhabas, permanent/temporary stall holders, and food service businesses or operators arranging food stalls/facilities at religious gatherings/fairs, etc., are instructed that hotels, restaurants and other food establishments which sell or display for sale snacks, sweets or other food items must put up a notice board displaying separate lists of food items cooked in edible oil, vegetable fat and other plant-derived fats (all types of fats that are not entirely prepared from milk), so that interested buyers/users/consumers can get correct information about the nature of the product.

He also said that business operators will have to mention on their packaging material: “Restaurants will procure food raw material only from licensed/registered vendors and will maintain records thereof, and failure to do so will invite prosecution.”

He further said that “in the case of restaurants, it is mandatory to appoint at least one technical person or food safety supervisor who has been trained by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.”

Dr. Manoj Kumar said that during the last five years (from 2020-21 to 2024-25), the department collected 17,350 samples. Out of these, 12,743 samples were found safe, 529 unsafe, 2,994 substandard and 1,084 were found with other deficiencies.

He also appealed to citizens to purchase milk and milk products only from licensed and reliable vendors. In case of any suspicion of adulteration, they should immediately inform the food safety department.

He reiterated that ensuring the purity of food items is everyone’s responsibility and the guilty will not be spared.