Ice-cream makers meet Mayor, protest PPCB ‘orange’ tag

Around 400 members of Punjab Ice Cream Association from all over Punjab met the mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria and put forth their problems.

Talking to Ludhiana Newsline, Rajinder Singh Basant, president of the association and owner Basant Ice Cream, the oldest ice cream manufacturers in the region, said, "The major problem of our industry is that Punjab Pollution Control Board has put our business in the orange category as they say that it causes water pollution. Before 2007, it was in green category which means non-pollutant. We want green category status back as we do not create any kind of pollution. Even if we wash our utensils, then there is not even a single chemical which is used in ice cream manufacturing process which makes it totally eco-friendly."

Reportedly, the members also told the mayor, "...that 14 percent VAT is too high and should be reduced and the recent changes in Food Safety Act to procure license should be relaxed as it is too cumbersome with loads of formalities". "I assure ice cream makers that their meeting with deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal will be organised and their demands reach the top level," said the mayor to Ludhiana Newsline.

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