SRINAGAR, Dec 15: The constitution of a high powered steering committee for effective and smooth implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is confined to papers only. The state government constituted a high powered steering committee for effective and smooth implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
The J&K government had come under sharp criticism for doing little to ensure implementation of Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006. The government had appointed the Chief Secretary of the state as chairman of the steering committee.
Besides chairman, Administrative Secretary Health and Medical Education, Administrative Secretary Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Administrative Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department, Administrative Secretary Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department, Administrative Secretary Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Controller Drug and Food Control Organization and Deputy Commissioner of Food Safety Kashmir/Jammu were appointed its members. The committee according to sources was formed in backdrop of complaints of food adulteration and authorities had failed to curb on it.
Despite constituting the committee, there seems no change on the ground. "The members of the committee don't bother to check the working of concerned Deptt,"an official said. The committee has to take a complete review of the ground realities, officers performing the duties under the Act, method of sampling, testing and further follow up action on the basis of misbranded samples. "But nothing such is being done," the official said.
The Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 came into force across the country in August 2011.
The Act was also to ensure improved quality of food for the consumers and censure misleading claims and advertisement by those in food business.
Official sources said the government had failed to upgrade the required infrastructure that was obligatory under this Act. They said the Act was not being executed properly in the state by which adulterated food items were being openly sold in markets without any check from the government.
The Central government had also asked the state government many times to ensure proper implementation of the Act.
Earlier, the High Court had pulled up the state government for lack of proper mechanism in J&K to check the food adulteration and had stated that authorities concerned have given complete go-bye to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
No comments:
Post a Comment