The Uttarakhand government on Friday banned the manufacture, storage, transportation and sale of substandard dairy and imitation dairy products, including paneer, ghee and butter made using vegetable oils, starch and chemicals instead of pure milk. The ban, imposed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, came into immediate effect across the state through an order issued by the Health Secretary and Commissioner, Food Safety and Drug Administration, Vinay Shankar Pandey. Officials said the prohibition covers products marketed as paneer, ghee, butter or other dairy items that are likely to mislead consumers despite not being genuine milk products. The action was taken on the directions of the chief minister to ensure the availability of safe, pure and quality food and safeguard public health, they said. Following the ban, the Food Safety Department will launch a statewide inspection drive covering dairy units, warehouses, wholesale and retail markets, hotels, restaurants and sweet shops. Officials said samples of suspected products will be sent for laboratory testing, and violators will face prosecution under the Food Safety and Standards Act. …