Kathmandu, Dec 16 (RSS):   
Department of Food Technology and Quality Control has imposed a ban on the products of 22 industries on the charge of producing food items impacting human health.    
The Department's this step comes immediately after it conducted monitoring at industries operating in more than 12 places of the country.    
Department director general Dr Matina Baidya said that the production of 22 industries have been banned as these industries produced, distributed and sold inedible and unhealthy food items and drinking water, flouting the agreement with the Department and the license.    
She however refused to divulge the names of the industries facing the ban, claiming action would be taken against these industries as per the Food Quality Act, 2023 BS, if the charge against them was proved.    
The Act stipulates a fine of Rs 50,000 and up to five years imprisonment if the charge against the industries is proved.    
The Department stated in its four-monthly report for the current fiscal year that it issued new permits to 179 industries, renewed the permits of 530 industries and issued recommendations for setting up 535 new industries this year. Similarly, it issued import license to 7,772 industries and rejected import permits for 49 food stuff.