Chandigarh/Mohali, Oct. 14 -- Ahead of the festive season, food safety inspections have been intensified in the tricity, with nine challans being issued against food business operators in Chandigarh and five in Mohali for non-compliance with provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act. In Chandigarh, officials collected 51 food samples, including 26 regulatory and 25 surveillance samples of food items such as paneer and khoya, which have been sent to the food analyst laboratory for testing. In Mohali, teams conducted extensive inspection drives in Kurali, New Chandigarh, Kharar, Nayagaon, Jagatpura, Dhakoli, Baltana, VIP Road, Dera Bassi, and Lalru between September 15 and October 12, and collected 142 samples. Of the total, 93 were enforcement samples and 49 were surveillance samples, including khoya, khoya-based sweets, paneer, coloured and packaged sweets, desi ghee sweets, milk, and other dairy products. Mohali deputy commissioner Komal Mittal said the department also conducted three overnight naka drives to check the quality of food products being transported from neighbouring states and districts. "Seventeen samples were lifted during these drives," she said. In Chandigarh, daily awareness camps are also being conducted to educate the public about safe and healthy food practices. Officials have urged shop owners to maintain high standards of hygiene (see box)....