Chandigarh promises bitter Diwali for spurious sweet makers

CHANDIGARH - The Chandigarh administration will take stern action against sweetmeat shops selling spurious or unhygienically prepared sweets, officials said Thursday.

“We are raiding sweet shops in Chandigarh and strict action will be taken against the violators,” said P.S. Shergill, additional deputy commissioner of Chandigarh, who is leading the team of health department officials conducting the raids.

In one of the major seizures of this festive season, the team Wednesday recovered over 8,000 kg of adulterated sweets and bakery items from five sweet manufacturing units. Officials Tuesday seized 3,500 kg of spurious sweets from two shops here.

“Our team found that raw materials were kept in the open and sweets were being prepared in very unhygienic conditions in some places. Workers were not even wearing gloves and head caps,” Shergill said.

“We have given enough time to sweets manufacturers to mend their ways and to adopt hygienic practices in their working. We would challan the habitual offenders and stern action will be taken against them,” stated Shergill.