Food Act: ‘Register before August 4 or face music’

Mangalore, Jul 12, 2012,

Violation of Act may attract 6 months imprisonment, penalty ranging from ` 1 lakh to ` 10 lakh, says ADC .

In order to strictly implement the Food Safety and Standards Act to prevent the food adulteration, August 4, 2012 has been fixed as the last date for the people concerned to register their business at the office of Food Security Officer or the District Surveillance Unit, informed Additional Deputy Commissioner K Dayanand.

Addressing a meeting of the officers at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Thursday, he said the Act being the most effective one, needs a proper implementation. Awareness will be created among the people about the registration of their food related business prior to August 4. The registration process has already begun and the information is diffused in various phases, he said.

Speaking at the meeting, MCC Commissioner Dr Harish Kumar said that as per the Act, a policy will be implemented where trade licences will not be given to any of the business without obtaining certificates from the MCC’s Food Security Officer.

All the traders who are involved in food related trading including the street vendors and fruit and vegetable vendors could submit the application form seeking the certificates, to Dr Rajesh, Food Safety Nodal Officer, Behind Wenlock Hospital, Railway Station Road, Opposite to IMA. Suresh will be the nodal officer for Mangalore and Belthangady limits and he can be contacted at 9448744168.

Dayanand has been appointed as the nodal officer covering Bantwal, Puttur and Sullia limits and he can be contacted on 9886568180.

The violation of the Act will result in six months of imprisonment, penalty ranging from Rs one lakh to Rs 10 lakh and the punishment could be extended to life term imprisonment too, informed the ADC.

“The Food Safety and Standards Act has been formed after taking into consideration the various laws, policies and orders pertaining to different ministry. It aims at solving several problems related to the food and ensure that only clean and healthy food is consumed by the people. The Authority deals with a parameter to measure the food production, storage, distribution, sale and imports.

As the items like, water, milk, bakery items, grains too come under the Act, it is necessary to obtain the certificate from the nodal officers,” informed the Additional Deputy Commissioner who is the judging officer for the district.

Meanwhile, he said that food supply in ration shops, mid-day meal scheme, in Anganawadis, BCM hostels too come under the jurisdiction of the Act.