Hyderabad joins the ban wagon of Maggi noodles as the state listed itself with Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, Puducherry, Arunachal, Uttarakhand following detection of mono-sodium glutamate and lead beyond permissible levels in the product.
According to K Amarender Reddy, Director of Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM), Telangana, “We have taken 22 samples from our state. We have sent them for screening. Actual reporting time is two weeks maximum.”
Delhi government had banned the sale of the Nestle’s instant noodles for 15 days after test samples showed content of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) in excess of the prescribed limit in the noodles, the Telangana health minister said the ban in the state was a precautionary measure.
“Pending the outcome of the test on samples at IPM, we have instructed officials to ensure that the existing stock of Maggi noodles available in shops and malls are not sold to consumers. We will take a final call on Monday, but till then a temporary ban would remain in place,” C Laxma Reddy told the media.
But, many citizens, most of them were students and single men and women, rued the ban. “It has become an important part of our lives. I don’t understand why a ban is there on only one product when lead is present in many items,” said Usha Menon, a techie in Gachibowli.