DINAKARAN NEWS

Licences issued to food vendors - THE HINDU

Newly-formed food safety department hopes to complete process this month

The food you eat, the meat you purchase or the milk products you buy will all now be monitored by the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department that will ensure that they are hygienic for consumption.

Ever since the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 came into force in August last year, the department has been issuing licenses to food-business operators. Around 450 licences have been issued to various food business organisations in the city from the 750 applications it has received so far. The city has around 12,000 food-business operators. Licenses issued to traders under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of 1954 expired in March this year, and the businesses need to acquire fresh licenses under the new act.

“We are not rejecting any applications. We are issuing licences to all the applicants. Following this, we will give improvement notices to those who need to make necessary changes,” said Krishna Raj, designated officer of the department in Chennai. “We hope to issue all the licences by the end of April.”

The city at present has 25 food safety officers, who will regularly inspect the outlets and look into complaints. “The food safety officers exclusively ensure the hygiene of food alone,” says Mr. Krishna Raj.

With the new department in place since August last year, hotels say they find the system convenient. “We have applied for licences for all our outlets and hope to get them within 15 days,” says Masilla Esther, senior executive, corporate affairs, Domino's Pizza, Chennai.

“We plan to organise a health camp in specific locations for the employees of our outlets. This way, it will be convenient for them to get fitness certificates.”

While many food business organisations, particularly the packaging industry, have expressed concerns about the tough penalties imposed on violators of the Act, Mr. Krishna Raj says that an improvement notice will be first issued for the business house to work on its deficiencies. “The fine or punishment for the offender will be decided based on the extent of risk involved. For instance, if more people are affected or if the extent of danger is higher, the punishment will be graver,” he said. Roadside eateries and petty shops will also come under the Act. According to officials, the vendors will be educated on following certain norms to improve and maintain hygiene.

We will tell them that they should be aware of the source of the ingredients such as tea dust, which will help us trace out contamination in case of complaints,” he added.

Aggrieved consumers can complain to the designated officer at 94435 47147.

Food Safety Act: Execution is impracticable?

Indore: Protesting the Centre’s move to strictly implement Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, sweets and namkeen traders will observe strike. Many other trading associations have decided to join the strike.

Over 6000 traders affiliated to Namkeen and Mithai Vikreta Kalayan Maha Sangh are actively engaged these days to ensure success of their strike call.

Sangh president Ramprasad Sharma says the association does respect Indian laws but the new rules would cause harassment to the small traders.

General Secretary Vikas Jain and convener Suresh Agrawal echo the president’s fear.

This “draconian Act” will only facilitate the big companies whereas small companies would find it very difficult to abide by all the provisions stipulated under this Act, they say.

Under the new norms, traders will have to determine and print nutritional value of every product. The association feels small traders will find it difficult to comply with. They fear return of inspector-raj through this rule.

The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India has laid down science-based standards for food items and regulate their manufacturer, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

The act aims to ensure prevention of fraudulent, deceptive or unfair trade practices which may mislead or harm the consumer.

Food is the biggest industry in the country as it provides direct and indirect employment to lakhs of people. If the government implements this act, it will not only render a majority of small traders jobless but will also lead to decline in revenue generation for the government.

The grocery traders owing affiliation to various trade bodies such as Marothia, Siyaganj, Malharganj, Sindhi Colony, Tilak Nagar, Malwa mill, Patnipura, Pardeshipura, Sukhalia etc have extended support to the strike and would remain off work from April 9 to 11.

This could well result in odd shops taking advantage of the situation and selling stuff to customers at high rate. The poor who do not stock such items could be in for serious trouble. Ramesh Khandelwal said the three- day strike could result in the loss of Rs 1500 to 2,000 crore in the city.

He has claimed support of around two dozen trade bodies to the stir.

Kochi Corporation’s move challenged

The Kochi Corporation could find itself on shaky ground should the Hotels and Restaurants Association decide to challenge the raids it has been conducting on several food outlets in the city.
Legally speaking it is not authorised to prosecute hotels and restaurants under the new Food Safety and Standards Act-2006, says the food safety commissionerate .
“Local bodies have no authority to prosecute hotels under the Act,” says Food Safety Commissioner, Biju Prabhakas, who is, however unsure whether panchayats, which are the licensing authorities for such establishments, can act against them under the Panchayathi Raj Act.
But an officer with the Food Safety Commissionerate contends the provisions related to food safety in the Panchayati Raj Act have lost relevance with the enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act on August 5, 2011.
“Eight laws relating to food safety including the essential commodities Act stand repealed. This applies to relevant provisions in the areas of food safety and hygience in laws like the Panchayati Raj Act too. Local bodies are no longer the licensing authorities in the case of hotels and so cannot take action like cancelling them,” he says.
“The corporation issued two licences in the past for establishments like hotels, which included one for food. Under the new Act it cannot seize food,” says former additional advocate general, Ranjith Thamban.