Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy directed officials to prepare a comprehensive Telangana anti-adulteration law to curb food and drug adulteration. He also proposed a toll-free helpline, a whistleblower mechanism and pilot implementation under the CURE initiative.
The Chief Minister issued the directions during a review meeting on the proposed Telangana Food Adulteration and Drug Control Act (TGFADCA) at the MCRHRD Institute on Saturday.
He said widespread adulteration of vegetables, fruits, milk and medicines had become a major public health concern. According to him, excessive use of chemicals was affecting consumers across the state.
Telangana anti-adulteration law to undergo public consultation
Revanth Reddy said traders used chemical preservatives to extend the shelf life of leafy vegetables, vegetables and milk. He added that they artificially ripened fruits with chemicals.
He also pointed to excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides. As a result, chemical residues in agricultural produce led some foreign countries to reject exports.
The Chief Minister said some sellers marketed products as organic without any reliable system to verify their authenticity. Therefore, consumers paid premium prices without assurance that the products met organic standards.
He directed officials to study anti-adulteration laws and enforcement systems in countries with strong food safety regulations. After that, they will prepare a detailed report and draft the legislation.
The government will discuss the proposed bill extensively in the Telangana Legislative Assembly. Meanwhile, it will also invite public suggestions before finalising the legislation.
Telangana anti-adulteration law begins with CURE pilot
The Chief Minister instructed officials to appoint whistleblowers to strengthen intelligence on adulteration-related offences. In addition, he directed them to establish a toll-free helpline so citizens could report violations.
Revanth Reddy said the government should first introduce the new framework in the CURE region as a pilot project. Later, officials will review the results and address implementation challenges before expanding the law across the state.
Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju, Director General of Police C.V. Anand, Chief Minister’s Adviser and Ex-Officio Special Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao, Principal Secretaries V. Sheshadri and N. Sridhar, along with senior officials from various departments, attended the meeting.