May 13: Government authorities have decided to take legal action against 64 industries for producing and selling various types of inedible food items and contaminated drinking water.

The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has already registered cases against the industries for legal action.

According to Mohan Krishna Maharjan, spokesperson of the department, the industries will be prosecuted under the Black Marketing Act for producing food items that adversely affect the health of consumers. Operators of the industries can be sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined under the Black Marketing Act 2032.

Among the 64 industries, 19 industries have been accused of selling products without labeling and 45 industries face action for producing inedible food items.

According to Maharjan, action will be taken against the industries for adulterating food items such as  meat spice, vegetable spice, mixed spice, spice ingredients, cumin powder, pulses, butter, milk and dairy products, mustard oil, processed drinking water, noodles, tea leaves, etc.