Hyderabad: Hyderabad food adulteration enforcement received a boost with the launch of H-FAST, a dedicated surveillance unit to curb unsafe food practices.
The Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) came up under the leadership of Commissioner of Police V C Sajjanar. It worked in close coordination with Food Safety Officers. The unit aimed to strengthen enforcement and regulatory action.
Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunath, IPS, inaugurated the unit. He marked the start of an intelligence-driven system to detect and curb offences.
The Hyderabad food adulteration unit includes 28 personnel. These include Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, and support staff. The team focuses on surveillance, detection, and prosecution of violations.
Hyderabad food adulteration unit to conduct coordinated raids
The team will conduct raids with Food Safety Officers. This coordination will ensure effective enforcement. As a result, officials expect faster action against offenders.
Inspectors N Ranjith Kumar Goud and Anjaiah attended the event. Sub-Inspectors Ramya, Abhilash, Akhil, and Krishna also took part along with other team members.
Authorities set up a toll-free number, 8712661212, for public complaints. Citizens can report Hyderabad food adulteration cases and unsafe food practices. They can also use official H-FAST social media platforms.
Officials warned that food adulteration poses a serious threat to public health. Therefore, they will follow a zero-tolerance approach. They will take strict legal action against violators.
Meanwhile, officials urged citizens to remain alert. They also asked people to report suspicious food-related activities.