The Uttarakhand Health Department will identify the cancer-causing element in the packed food being sold in the market. It will also engage IIT Roorkee to examine feasibility of a part of half constructed Pithoragarh Medical College in light of recent landslide and land subsidence in the area.
Replying to the queries of the legislators in the assembly on Thursday, state Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat stated that the government would identify the chemicals being used in all kinds of food items sold in the market and issue necessary guidelines in this direction as to consumption of these food items.
He said, “We will definitely identify the chemicals causing cancers in processed food items. A special manual and guideline will be issued in this regard in the coming days. Work is already going on to issue a notification and guideline on cancer in view of rising cases of the disease in the state.”
The Minister added that adequate action will be taken wherever it’s felt that chemicals used in processed food items will cause cancer.
He further said that a frequent sampling campaign of food items will be launched across the state inducing all countryside Haats organised periodically.
Dhan Singh Rawat was replying to a supplementary question from Congress MLA Sumeet Hridayesh, who asked him, “If you have assessed and whether the government has any plan to identify cancer causing chemicals used in the processed food items and come up with a policy in this regard?”
Replying to another question on Pithoragarh Medical College from local MLA Mayukh Mehar on recurring landslide and land subsidence at under construction Pithoragarh Medical College site in the house, the health minister said, “Landslides occurred at the location where a 50-bed critical care unit is being built at the cost of ₹25 crore. Although the landslide site was treated with a railing wall, it’s a sensitive matter. I want this site to be examined by the IIT. We will invite IIT to send its experts to examine the location. If IIT comes up with a recommendation of non feasibility of the unit we will relocate it.”
The Minister informed that around half of the work of ₹600 crore Pithoragarh Medical College is over.
Earlier, during question hour on the fourth day of the budget session, Mehar asked the minister what steps were being taken by the government to meet the challenge of persistent subsidence of land at Pithoragarh Medical College leading to landslide. Mehar alleged that it has risked the lives of patients coming to the hospital. Mehar also asked for action against the geologist who prepared a feasibility report for the selection of the Medical College site.