Even as the Uttar Pradesh Government has launched a Statewide special drive to raid the stores selling Maggi noodles of old batch, it is yet to take a final call on banning sale of the brand in the State. Officials of the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) confirmed that raids were being conducted in different parts of the State to seize Maggi noodles. The samples of Maggi and other instant noodles were being sent to the lab for tests, a senior official told The Pioneer here on Sunday.
Despite it being Sunday, Food Inspectors carried out raids in Moradabad, Gonda, Kannauj, Jaulan and Meerut. “We are waiting for the final report from the lab. Then only we can take a call whether sale of Maggi should be banned in Uttar Pradesh,” the official said. He said the authorities were seizing the noodles of 2014 make, which is said to be have excessive lead contents. Many prominent social organisations are protesting against the adulterated Maggi noodles and are demanding its total ban.