Traders protest food safety Act, online trading

Members of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu, Vellore, stage a protest in Vellore on Friday.

A woman selling greens on the roadside can now be slapped a fine of Rs. five lakh and imprisoned for six months for not possessing a licence as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
“Such regulation will come down hard on roadside vendors and we have been repeatedly demanding that these provisions be amended and the Act simplified,” R.B. Gnanavelu, secretary of Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu, Vellore, said.
On Friday, traders belonging to the association staged a protest to reiterate their demand to review the Act. They said that this act was brought into effect to allow foreign companies to set base in India, while wiping out domestic retailers.
The traders also opposed online trading and called for a ban. “These online trading firms pay only service tax to the government, leading to huge revenue loss. Consumers make online purchases for things such as electronic goods and clothes. These products do not have a guarantee and customers cannot ask for an exchange,” he said.
Online trading affected the livelihood of traders across the country. “Online retail sector had a business worth Rs. 21,000 crore every year, and this will increase to over Rs. 85,000 crore in four years,” he said.
Traders said foreign companies invested in these online trading firms and this should be banned considering the welfare of the public, government and traders.
C. Krishnan, president, Tamil Nadu Vannigar Sangangalin Peramaippu, Vellore, was present.
“The Act will help foreign companies set base in India and wipe out domestic retailers”