Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Minister GS Bali on Friday admitted in the Assembly that a 'dead rat' was found in a pack of 'Masoor Dal' (pulse) supplied by Kanda Depot under PDS and the sample of it was found "unfit for human consumption".
Replying to a calling attention motion moved by Rajiv Saijal (BJP), the minister said that there was no such complaint from any other depot and out of 500 samples sent to food testing laboratory, only two were found unfit for human consumption.
Bali said that the 1 kg pack of pulse was distributed from wholesale godown at Dharampur on February 20, 2016 and the enquiry conducted by a food inspector revealed that a dead rat was found in the pack.
He said that the pulse was supplied by a Delhi-based mill which had been issued notice and twenty per cent of the consignment had been deducted as "penalty".
Instructions have been issue to immediately withdraw the unsold stock of this consignment, he added.
