Food Safety and Standards Act armed with stringent provisions: JC

N. Yuvaraj

The Food Safety and Standards Authority India has recently come out with a stringent Act imposing hefty penalty against erring manufacturers and has sections under which the guilty could be imprisoned for a period of one year.

Joint Collector N. Yuvaraj who addressed a meeting of traders organised by the Department of Civil Supplies at A.C College here on Tuesday warned that the new Act was having stringent quality control provisions and license protocols and urged the traders to take corrective measures. Under the act, manufacturers of food items below the standard quality norms, would be imposed a maximum penalty of Rs.5 lakh. Those who might have manufactured food materials which caused death or serious illness would be levied a hefty penalty of Rs.5 lakh.

Unprotected food items can invite even imprisonment up to six months.

Dr. Yuvaraj further said that vendors should maintain a clean environment around their stalls and shops. The act has stringent provisions under which violators would be punished severely.

Assistant Public Prosecutor, T. Madhusudana Rao explained the basic features of Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

District Civil Supplies Officer K. Raviteja Naik, District Manager, Civil Supplies, Krishna Rao and Medical Health Officer of Guntur Municipal Corporation, Lakshmi Naik were also present.

Under the act, manufacturers of food items below the standard quality norms, will be imposed a maximum penalty of Rs.5 lakh