AMC seizes 406 kg Rajasthan paneer worth ₹1.62 lakh in Ahmedabad food raids
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) Food Department withheld 406 kg of paneer worth approximately ₹1.62 lakh on 20 August after intercepting consignments transported from Rajasthan for distribution across the city. Three food establishments were simultaneously sealed for separate violations including expired stock and non-standard food samples, as part of sweeping inspections under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
How the Paneer Consignments Were Intercepted
At around 6:30 am, AMC officials inspected buses operated by Tiger Travels and Jaykar Travels at a parking area near Dedki Nursery in Kankaria. The Jaykar Travels bus was found carrying one-kg packets of low-fat paneer sourced from Bholenath Milk Products in Pratapnagar, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, intended for distribution across multiple parts of Ahmedabad.
The Tiger Travels bus was transporting one-kg packets of low-fat paneer labelled 'Healthy Tasty' from Variety Products in Pali, Rajasthan, consigned to Visandas Trading Company in the Naroda area. Officials collected samples of both varieties and dispatched them for laboratory testing. The remaining 406 kg of stock — valued at ₹1,61,910 — was withheld from sale pending the lab report.
Three Food Establishments Sealed
Shri Krishna Sales Corporation at Jai Mangal Estate on Rakhial Road was sealed after officials discovered 3,000 kg (3 tonnes) of expired food products on its premises, compounded by unhygienic conditions. In a separate action, Harihar Kathiyawadi in South Bopal was sealed after a paneer sample collected earlier from the establishment was declared non-standard. J.B. Dairy and Parlour in Jivraj Park was also sealed following a ghee sample from the outlet being found non-standard in prior testing.
What the AMC Said
The civic body stated that inspections of food-related businesses across Ahmedabad would continue. 'Establishments found operating without an FSSAI licence or violating prescribed rules will face action under the Food Safety and Standards Act and the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act,' the AMC said in a statement.
Broader Context and What Comes Next
The crackdown is part of an intensifying pattern of AMC food safety enforcement, with inter-state supply chains now under closer scrutiny. Notably, the interception of paneer transported overnight on passenger buses — rather than through regulated cold-chain logistics — raises questions about temperature compliance and shelf-life integrity of dairy products reaching city consumers. The laboratory results for the withheld paneer samples will determine whether criminal proceedings are initiated against the Rajasthan-based suppliers. Until then, the 406 kg stock remains withheld from the market.