00:00And this is a serious question viewers about food safety in the country as a rat has been found in
00:09a Bikano Namkeen mixed packet.
00:13A dead rat was found inside a packet of Namkeen from a very reputed company, the Bikano Company, which was
00:19purchased at a grocery store in Kanpur, Dehar.
00:23Following this incident, the consumer raised serious questions regarding quality of food products and has demanded an investigation into this
00:31matter.
00:32This case, viewers, is coming from Kanpur, where Javed Khan, a resident of Naibasti, bought a packet of Namkeen on
00:41Wednesday.
00:42He bought this packet, which is an 80 rupee packet of Navratna mixture for his children from a shop on
00:49Mughal Road.
00:50But as soon as he opened this packet, he sat on a bench, opened this packet, he spotted a dead
00:56baby rat inside this packet.
01:00And the people present at the shop were shocked to see this and he has remarked that had he not
01:05noticed it in time, consuming the snack would have posed a serious health risk.
01:11He has demanded that the food safety department should immediately investigate the matter and take appropriate action.
01:16And this incident has sparked considerable resentment among the locals as well.
01:22Let's listen in to this entire incident.
01:53And Simar Shavala is joining me on this story.
01:57Simar, major violation of health laws, major violation of food safety standards laws.
02:04What are you picking up from the FDA of that of UP?
02:08What are you picking up from the shopkeeper or other persons around the area?
02:19Well, first of all, this issue has raised some serious concerns over the quality checks and the hygiene standards of
02:24the package items.
02:25You know, what we are learning is that after this incident has come to the notice, after this video went
02:29viral, after a formal complaint was filed with the FDA,
02:31the FDA, the food department has in fact issued notice to the company.
02:36This is a branded company, in fact, from whose packet this dead rat has been found.
02:40So the action has been taken, a notice has been issued.
02:42And what we are learning is that today, the food and safety department team will in fact go to the
02:47spot,
02:47you know, will record statements of the people who were in fact witness of this very particular incident.
02:51And after that, the questioning with the officials of the company will also be done.
02:56You know, this incident has not been taken into the very, you know, very lightly.
02:59In fact, a strict message needs to be given what we are being told by the food and safety department
03:05that, you know,
03:06in the case the child would have not noticed, this could have, you know, raised some serious concern over the
03:12health issues.
03:13And in fact, this has not sent a very good message, you know, to the people.
03:17You know, this was an 80-piece packet which was being bought by this complainant, what he has said in
03:22this official complaint,
03:24after which his son was in fact having this very particular namkeen, after which, you know, a dead rat was
03:29in fact noticed,
03:30after which he, you know, informed the officers of the FDA department.
03:35The action is being taken, the notice is being issued, but indeed this has raised some serious concerns,
03:39again, you know, to the quality checks, to the hygiene standards and also to the safety of the people.
03:44And in fact, sparked a different debate that how safe are the food products are and how, you know,
03:51how, you know, in a well manner this monitoring is being taking place.
03:54So, now it remains to be seen that what action is being taken after the reply is sought by the
03:59company,
04:00in whose packet this dead red house has been found.
04:02Well, clearly, Simmar, because now this rat being found in a namkeen packet,
04:08being manufactured by a very, very well-known, very, very, you know,
04:12a company that has a huge market share when it comes to namkeens in India.
04:17And very recently, we have seen multiple such cases coming out from various companies.
04:22Just a few days ago, we saw a huge outrage after rats were found in ice cream freezers of a
04:29very popular delivery app.
04:31We've seen food safety authorities in multiple states taking action.
04:36Doesn't this then raise a very serious question, Simmar,
04:40of how the companies, how our manufacturers and how they are doing when it comes to all of this?
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