U’khand to classify cancer as notifiable disease, tighten checks on food adulteration

Gairsain: Uttarakhand govt on Thursday said it would identify cancer as a "notifiable disease" and frame rules and regulations to identify cancer-causing chemicals used in food items, after MLAs from both BJP and Congress raised concerns in the assembly over poor-quality food and adulteration.State health minister Dhan Singh Rawat made the announcement while responding to questions on food safety and the use of harmful substances in processed and fast food. The issue gained momentum after lawmakers said the food safety department largely carried out sampling and raids only during the festive season, leaving routine violations unchecked for the rest of the year.After legislators demanded a more regular enforcement mechanism, the minister said govt would run a monthly drive to check the sale of adulterated and stale food. "We are also planning to take employees on attachment from other departments, so that regular drives can be carried out. We will ensure that the campaign is run for 7 days each month," Rawat said.BJP MLA from Doiwala Brij Bhushan Gairola asked what steps were being taken to check adulteration in food and food products. Supporting the concern, BJP MLA from Rishikesh Prem Chand Aggarwal said the food safety department's raids appeared to be limited mostly to the festive period.BJP MLA from Vikas Nagar Munna Singh Chauhan raised the issue of heavy chemicals being used in fast food sold in rural and semi-urban areas. "Haat Bazaar can be seen in villages and small towns. What they sell is never examined. Usually, poor-quality food items are made and sold. Will a Task Force be formed to check the sale of such food items?" he said. He added, "Earlier, regular checking was carried out, but now it is limited to a few days only."Congress MLA from Haldwani Sumit Hridayesh said heavy chemicals used in processed food, along with poor food quality, were contributing to cancer cases. In response, Rawat said, "In 2023-24, 1,627 samples were collected and 171 were found to be adulterated. In 2024-25, 159 of 1,684 samples were found adulterated. In the ongoing 2025-26, 1,598 samples were collected and 194 were found adulterated."Rawat added that the govt had written to the Public Service Commission to fill 28 posts in the food safety department and the process was under way. He said the concerns raised by legislators were valid and assured the House that the campaign against adulterated food would be intensified to ensure only quality food was sold.