PANAJI
Officials of the Food and Drugs Administration who have launched a drive ahead of the Ganesh Chathurthi festival on Tuesday struck big and seized material worth lakhs from a 'farsan' (gram flour based sweetmeats and snacks) unit operating illegally in the Karaswada-Mapusa area.
The unit at Karaswada was found violating laws on multiple fronts: It was operating without appropriate licences and worst, the conditions were unhygienic raising questions of quality and safety of their products, an official who was part of the raiding party told The Goan.
Raw material and food items worth lakhs of rupees has been seized from the unit which has been shut down and sealed, he added.
"Such checks on these 'farsan' units are being conducted across the State. We do it regularly but now due to the upcoming festive season we have intensified the action," FDA Director Shweta Desai said.
Earlier on Monday, officials of the department had conducted such inspections at sweetmeat shops and manufacturing units in South Goa.
Places in Ponda and Mormugao were also checked but the outcomes and data related to these raids are still being collated. Samples seized during all these searches will also be subjected to the standard food safety tests at the FDA's laboratory in its Bambolim headquarters, Desai said.
She added that these surprise checks will continue until the Ganesh Chathurthi festive season.
Farsan and sweets made from channa (gram) flour is a popular choice of Gonas as an all-day snack and the business is rather widespread with sweetmarts springing up across the State.
The FDA which has its head office at Bambolim also acts separately in South Goa functioning from an office located in the old Collectorate building.
