Ahmedabad, Oct 29 (IANS) Sweet, mawa and farsan traders with an annual turnover exceeding Rs five lakh will be required to keep rapid testing kits to check food adulteration during the Diwali festive season, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) said on Thursday, as it stepped up measures to safeguard public health.
The decision was announced by Standing Committee chairman Kamlesh Patel after the civic body’s weekly meeting.
The AMC’s Health Department has been instructed to ensure that the specified traders keep and use the kits, which cost around Rs 3,000 and can help detect the presence of starch in mawa as part of preliminary quality checks.
The move follows recent incidents involving the sale of counterfeit and non-edible substances in the name of mawa.
According to Patel, around 350 people have so far procured such kits, which can also be used by consumers to conduct preliminary checks for starch in food products.
The civic body also decided to intensify inspections to curb water wastage and detect illegal water connections across Ahmedabad.
Establishments with high water consumption, including car washing centres, paying guest accommodations and lodging and boarding facilities with a large number of rooms, will be inspected to verify the legality of their connections.
The concerned department has been directed to take action in accordance with the rules and disconnect illegal connections found during the inspections.
The committee also called for investigations into the roles of officials, alongside contractors, in two accidents reported in Ahmedabad over the past 15 days, including one at a sewage treatment plant (STP).
“The inquiry should establish whether the required safety equipment was available and safety standards were followed during work, including welding operations, at the STP plant,” he said.
The investigation will examine possible negligence by both contractors and the officials responsible for overseeing the work, rather than limiting action to penalties against contractors.
In another decision, the AMC approved the modernisation and upgradation of existing activities at Kids City at Kankaria Lakefront, along with the introduction of new attractions for children.
These will include a chocolate factory, a space exploration centre, a ‘Khelo India’ sports academy, a renewable energy technology centre, an aerodynamics and flight science laboratory, and a drone laboratory centre.
The civic body will also reduce public lighting arrangements during Diwali to conserve electricity.
From Dhanteras to Labh Pancham, lighting will be provided at seven locations, including six bridges over the Sabarmati River and the Bhadrakali Mata Temple.
In previous years, the arrangements covered additional locations such as traffic circles, underpasses and government buildings.
The lighting schedule will be reduced from the usual 7 pm to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. However, the lights will remain on throughout the night on Diwali and Bestu Varas, the Gujarati New Year.
–IANS
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