Traders defer protest against food service act

INDORE: To oppose the newly implemented Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, a number of traders staged protest at Sanjay Setu here in the city on Tuesday. In response to a bandh call by MP Food Products and Producers' Association, almost all the shops selling food items remained closed for half-a-day. Traders termed the Central government Act as draconian and against the interests of the small traders.
Later, in the evening, a delegation of traders met the chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to seek relief. After they were assured of a solution in four days' time, the delegation postponed its protest till March 31.
"Chief Minister assured us of finding a solution, so that the traders do not feel the heat of the newly implemented Act. After his assurance, the association decided to postpone its protest till March 31," said Suresh Agarwal, coordinator, MP Food Products and Producers' Association.
Earlier, the traders alleged that the Act is full of difficult terms, conditions, discrepancies and is impractical, which will pose problems for traders to function. The Act has provision of penalizing traders with Rs 5 lakh if found functioning without license.
Ramesh Khandelwal, president, MP Food Products and Producers' Association said, "The Act has at least 24 points that need to reviewed. The new law will make it difficult for traders to do business and will give rise to 'Inspector raj'. The Act will make small traders jobless and help MNCs spread their wings." The act will also give rise to more of paper work, he added.
The protest saw participation from MP Dal Mill Association (Indore), Association of Pulses Industry, Mithai Association, Namkeen Association, MP Spices Manufacturing Traders' Association and Wholesale Retail Traders' Association. The traders presented their memorandum to the divisional commissioner Prabhat Parashar, appealing the government to reconsider the points in the act.
"The new law has made it mandatory for the small traders to get a fitness certificate from a practising doctor for running their business. Also, it has the provision of appointing a BSC graduate as technical advisor who will monitor the quality of food being manufactured by the trader. But these are all impractical guidelines," added Suresh Agarwal.
The bandh on Tuesday affected business amounting to crores as Mithai traders alone estimated a loss of Rs 65-70 lakh. Restaurants, road-side stalls, ghee trading and pulse business also suffered heavy loss due to the half-day-closure. In the past 15 days, the city has witnessed at least 8 days close due to hike in VAT.