Dec 23, 2015

Maggi headed to Mysore for new lead test

The Supreme Court ordered that Maggi noodles will now be tested in an accredited laboratory in Mysore and not in Chennai as directed by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

The Supreme Court (SC) ordered on Wednesday that Maggi noodles will now be tested in an accredited laboratory in Mysore and not in Chennai as directed by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).
The SC's order came on a plea filed by Nestle India against the NCDRC's order. The apex court also stayed the proceedings in the case pending in the apex consumer body. "It is directed that the local commissioner appointed by the NCDRC shall send samples earlier collected by him to the Mysore laboratory for tests. Test reports shall be produced before this court," a Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C. Pant said.
In the meantime, the NCDRC shall not proceed, the SC added. The court passed the order when senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Nestle India, and attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Centre, agreed that the samples be sent for testing to the Mysore lab instead of Chennai.
The NCDRC on December 10 had said that the local commissioner would send 16 more samples of Maggi noodles for testing in Chennai to ascertain the quantity of lead and mono sodium glutamate in them in connection with the government's Rs 640-crore law suit against the company on account of alleged unfair trade practices.
"During course of the hearing, they (Centre and Nestle) agreed that the primary concern is health and the test has to be carried out to meet the parameters of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. ... the consent was arrived at that Mysore is well equipped to carry all such tests and being a referral notified laboratory, samples should be sent there," the apex court said. Posting the matter for January, the Bench said that the plea be listed along with the appeal filed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on January 13 against the Bombay High Court (HC) verdict. The HC had on August 13 lifted the ban on nine variants of the fast food and asked the company to go for fresh tests.
After the NCDRC's order, Nestle India had said, "We are disappointed that the honourable Commission has given order directing further testing of 16 samples at Export Inspection Laboratory, Mysuru.

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