Vij suspends FSO, orders FIR against complainant

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 24

Health Minister Anil Vij today ordered the suspension of a Food Safety Officer (FSO) for his lackadaisical attitude in taking samples of milk and directed the police to register an FIR against a complainant who retracted after ‘compromise’ with the pesticide dealer against whom he had made a complaint of spurious pesticide.

Listening to people’s complaints in the monthly meeting of the District Grievances and Public Relations Committee at Fatehabad, Vij ordered the suspension of Food Safety Officer Sham Lal when Yuva Jagriti Manch, an NGO, complained about sale of spurious milk and ghee by a dairy owner even after samples taken from him had failed.

“When samples had failed to comply with the quality parameters, why any action was not taken against the dairy owner?” Vij asked. When no satisfactory answer came, Vij ordered Sham Lal’s suspension.

Rajinder, a resident of Chinder village, had given a complaint of supply of pesticide after its date of expiry against a local pesticide trader during last meeting of the committee.

In today’s meeting, Deputy Director (Agriculture) Balwant Saharan informed the minister that Rajinder has taken back his complaint after ‘compromise’ with the dealer. Angry at the complainant’s conduct, Vij ordered registration of an FIR against him and also ordered stern action against the dealer for the lapse.

Jagbir Singh, a tenant, who was beaten up by 22 persons in May this year to evict him forcibly from his rented accommodation near the old bus stand, fell unconscious while narrating his complaint to the minister. Vij directed the authorities to shift him to General Hospital for treatment and ordered registration of an FIR against his persecutors.

In a case of evasion of market fees by a grain market firm, Vij ordered checking of the firm’s records for the past three years.

Interestingly, Subhash, a resident of Kajalheri village had appeared before the minister and said that the complaint in the case had been made on his name by someone else.

Deputy Commission NK Solanki, SP OP Narwal and ADC JK Abhir were among others present in the meeting.