Govt sanctions prosecution of Kanwal, Khyber, AVON

SMC to file charge sheet today

Srinagar, Feb 23: State Government has accorded sanction for the prosecution of the leading Food Processing Companies whose products were found adulterated with carcinogenic chemicals.
Drug Controller of the State, Satish Gupta, told Excelsior that Government has accorded sanction for the prosecution of AVON Agro Industries Pvt Ltd Delhi, Khyber Agro Farms and M/s Kanwal Agro Food Industries Anantnag whose food products were found adulterated by the Central Food Laboratory Kolkata.
Health Officer Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Dr Shafaqat Khan told Excelsior that he has got sanction from the Commissioner Food Safety Jammu and Kashmir, Ganzafar Ali,for the prosecution of M/s Kanwal Agro Food Industries Anantnag whose Sounf powder was found adulterated and that of a Punjab based Food processing company whose Karela and Jamun juice were found adulterated.
Dr Shafaqat said that he will produce charge-sheet against these two companies tomorrow before the Municipal Magistrate Srinagar under Food Safety Standards Act 2006. “There was no delay on my part for prosecution but I was waiting for the government sanction”, he added.
The Food Safety Officer, Budgam, Shugufta, told Excelsior that she has not received any sanction for the prosecution of Khyber Agro Farms whose toned milk has been found adulterated. “Once the sanction is accorded, we will go through legal process”, she added.
The turmeric powder of AVON Agro Industries Pvt Ltd Delhi, toned Milk of Khyber Agro Farms and Sounf powder of M/s Kanwal Agro Food Industries Anantnag was found adulterated by the Central Food Laboratory Kolkata whose reports came in November and December last year.
The Central Food Laboratory Kolkata report about turmeric powder manufactured by AVON Agro Industries Pvt Ltd Delhi said that it contained Tartrazine adulteration.
The Central Food Laboratory Kolkata report about the Khyber Milk states that besides containing detergent, the sample has failed to conform to various other standards stipulated under laws and regulations.
The Central Food Laboratory Kolkata about Saunf powder manufactured by M/s Kanwal Agro Food Industries Anantnag found it unsafe and misbranded, containing added colouring matter – Carmoisine and Tartrazine.
Sources said that these companies are facing serious charges as the Director SKIMS, Shoukat Ahmad Zagar, in its report has said that the colouring agents and other material found in the spices and the toned milk are carcinogenic, can damage various body organs and cause heart diseases.
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has already penalized these companies and asked them to deposit Rs 60 crore with the Director SKIMS for damaging the health of people.

Food Act changes good but inspectors pay bad

5-member panel to discuss pay uniformity

Structural inequality among cadre of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is holding back officers from doing their job. Step-motherly attitude of the state government towards the Food Safety Officers (FSO) underplay their importance for a healthy society, discussed FSOs from all across the state here at an annual convention.

“To do away with ‘Inspector Raj’, state has brought in new Food Safety and Standards Act 2006; the Act is progressive, but the government has failed to provide adequate infrastructure and staff,” said Secretary General of FSO Cadre Association of India VK Rathi.

As the Act came into force, the role of Food Inspector has been changed from a regulator to a facilitator.

The FSOs in the state are being paid class-IV employee wages. “Our salary is Rs 16,000 to Rs 17,000, whereas those in other states are being paid Rs 40,000 - Rs 50,000. Our grade pay is Rs 2,100 against Rs 4,200 to FSOs in other states,” said Manish Swami, a senior FSO.

“Promotion opportunities are bleak. FSOs end up in the same post till their retirement. We had sent a list of recommendations to the pay commission and the state government, but none have been accepted,” said Swami.

A five-member committee has been constituted at the annual convention with food commissioners from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Goa and Maharashtra states to discuss uniformed pay structure of the officers across India, irrespective of the state cadre they belong to.

Given the amount of arable land in our country, food security is a big challenge and at the same time providing quality food to people is equally important, said an officer.

Check illegal vendors

As per provisions contained in Food Safety and Standards Act, all food vendors, including restaurants, roadside eateries, tea shops, juice shop, fruit and vegetable vendors, fish and meat stalls should register them and obtain a licence from Food Supplies Department, failing which a fine or imprisonment should be awarded.

Further the owners may have to shut down their shops. But it is seen that half of city’s food outlets have not yet been enrolled by the authorities and therefore continue as illegal vendors. In addition, many mobile vendors from the suburban areas continue their business in the city by means of their cycles and sell their products within 2-3 hours and return back.

Further, some meat and fish sellers also come to city during morning hours and sell their products in and around the city and leave the place before noon, but they do not possess any licence. They also do not keep the area clean. In such cases, the authorities should create an awareness programme and force them to register with their names for licence.