(a) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that due to unverified/unsubstantiated/fake news items/articles sometimes in newspapers indicating that eating chicken causes cancer, etc., panic is created among people and people stop eating chicken and the Government also bans sale of chicken causing irreparable damage to poultry industry; and
(b) if so, whether the Government is planning to contain such fake news in the media and protect poultry industry?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
(DR SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)
(a) & (b) No such reports/ evidences of cancer caused by eating Chicken have been received by this Department and this Department has not banned any sale of Chicken, which could cause damage to Poultry Industry.
However, for any issues related to fake news/false facts relating to food, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has time-to-time issued guidance notes, press releases as well as targeted messaging on social media channels for benefit of consumers on the basis of scientific evidence and facts. FSSAI has taken up the matter with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology highlighting the issue on social media platforms to sensitize them on large scale implications of such false propaganda and advise them to put in place and develop system for tracking of messages for bringing such mischievous perpetrators to book under law. Workshop was also organised to sensitize the media professionals on integrities of food safety ecosystem and right techniques of reporting relating to food safety.
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