Take steps to enforce food safety Act: HC to Chief Secy

Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 19
Expressing dissatisfaction over with the compliance report submitted by the government, the J&K High Court has directed the Chief Secretary to take “meaningful” steps for implementing the provisions of the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, in the state.

The direction was issued by a division Bench of the High Court on Monday while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a direction commanding the respondents to implement the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011.

On October 7, the High Court in its orders had observed that there is a complete go-bye to the provisions of the Act and the Rules as revealed by the procedure adopted for taking samples and testing of the stock in respect of food which has been found misbranded or adulterated.

Observing that there is no proper mechanism to check adulteration in the state, the court had directed the Chief Secretary to take a review of the ground realities and accordingly file a comprehensive report showing compliance of the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 and regulations.

“Though the Chief Secretary had filed the compliance report as directed earlier, however the Bench was not satisfied with it. It has now directed him to take meaningful steps for implementing the provisions of the Food Safety Standards Act, rules and regulations,” said Syed Tassaduq Khawaja, one of the petitioner counsels advocate.

He said the Chief Secretary had been directed to file a fresh compliance report in this regard by the next hearing.

What the PIL says

The PIL had sought court directions commanding the respondents to implement the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011

It had been submitted that the non-implementation of the Act and Rules by the state government was a grave issue and there is need of for a serious relook into the issue to check adulteration of food items and eatables

The government has often come under criticism for lack of seriousness on the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act in the state