DINAKARAN NEWS

DINAKARAN NEWS

Food safety officer placed under suspension

He is charged with dereliction of duty

R.S. Biradar, designated Food Safety Officer at Kalaburagi City Corporation, has been placed under suspension pending enquiry with immediate effect on the charge of dereliction of duty and misconduct.

Exercising his powers conferred under Rule 10(1)(d) of the Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules 1957, Subhod Yadav, Commissioner, Food Safety, Health and Family Welfare Services, issued an order on Saturday.

Mr. Biradar was facing multiple charges, including failure in discharging his duties pertaining to food safety, submitting monthly progress reports to higher authorities, irregularities in outsourcing certain office works and misappropriating funds and causing losses to the Exchequer.

The order said that the officer in question misused his powers by appointing Neelakanta Biradar as an office assistant on contract basis without approval from the authorities concerned, though there was no such sanctioned post, which was in violation of rules and norms in force that allowed taking computer operators for office work only from human resources firm.

The officer is also charged with illegally applying the pay scale of promoted junior food safety officer as per Rule 42(b) of Karnataka Civil Services Rules for himself incurring losses to the Exchequer. The order said that the officer had failed to submit a report, though he was directed to submit one.

Mr. Yadav found the response given by the officer to the show-cause notice unsatisfactory and passed an order placing him under suspension.

Veggie Gujarat paid highest fine for adulterated meat

AHMEDABAD: Abattoirs and meat sellers in Gujarat paid Rs 1.66 crore as fine -- the highest in the country -- for selling misbranded and adulterated meat products in 2016-'17.

In 2016-'17, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) collected Rs 4.49 crore as fine for selling adulterated meat and meat products from across the country . While Gujarat topped the list, Tamil Nadu was second with Rs 78.98 lakh paid as penalty .

According to data compiled by the Union agriculture and animal husbandry ministry, of the 11,364 samples of meat products collected from the state in the last fiscal, 839 were found adulterated and misbranded. The food safety authority registered 46 criminal and 513 civil cases and obtained two convictions.

Gujarat Food and Drug Control Authority (FDCA) commissioner H G Koshiasaid adulteration and misbranding of meat and meat products was rampant in the state. "We also receive complaints of meat product of a different animal packaged and sold than the one mentioned on the packing," he said.

India needs single nodal agency for organic standards: Report

In 2016-17, export of organic products from India was valued at $370 million which was about 17.5 per cent higher than the previous year

ICRIER survey stresses on Govt role in checking malpractices

NEW DELHI, AUGUST 6: 

India needs a single nodal agency for fixing standards for organic products and a comprehensive regulation encompassing export, import and domestic markets to promote the sector and increase exports, a study carried out by a top research institute has suggested.

The paper, brought out by Delhi-based think tank ICRIER is based on a survey of companies dealing in organic products. It also stressed the importance of product traceability to ensure that items being bought by consumers are genuinely organic.

Piecemeal regulations

“Our survey, covering 75 companies, reveal that businesses feel that one of the main factors hindering growth of organic products is that there is no nodal government agency responsible for it. Multiple government bodies are doing piecemeal regulations which often confuses exporters,” said Arpita Mukherjee from ICRIER who co-authored the report.

There is also lack of clarity on the role of various organisations involved in exports, the report stated. In India, organic products for exports are certified by various agencies accredited by the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), India, under Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Agency (APEDA).

“Customs officers are also sometimes confused about the documents and clearances. The lack of well-defined procedures creates delays at the border and reduces India’s rank in ease of doing business and logistics indicators,” the report said.

Draft regulations

Although the FSSAI, after consultations with the Commerce Ministry, has come up with a draft Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017, which has been put up on its website for comments, it does not mention doing away with multiple agencies.

ICRIER will circulate the report to the ministries and departments concerned and hopes to hold discussions when it is officially launched later this month. On the need to check malpractices, all 75 companies interviewed pointed out that it is the role of the government to protect the consumer from malpractices, ensure that consumers are not cheated and that they have safe food.

The companies specified that the FSSAI can take the lead on inspecting and monitoring products based on proper standards and guidelines.

In case of fraudulent practices, the FSSAI should have the powers to penalise wrongdoers, it said.

The survey participants also pointed out that there should be one common standard for organic products for the domestic, import and export markets.

This standard should be in line with globally approved standards.

In case of India, the National Standards for Organic Production (NSOP) under the NPOP has been approved by key trading partners such as the US and the EU.

Export figures

In 2016-17, export of organic products from India was valued at $370 million which was about 17.5 per cent higher than the previous year.

In 2015-16, some of India’s top markets for the export of organic products were the EU, the US, Canada, Korea and Australia.

Call to ensure supply of quality food during regatta

Arrangements for Punnamada boat race reviewed

District Collector Veena N. Madhavan has asked officials of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to ensure that safe and hygienic food is served in hotels to people who visit Alappuzha during the forthcoming Nehru trophy boat race.

Reviewing the arrangements at a meeting of officials, she said surprise checks should be conducted at hotels and restaurants to ascertain the quality of food and to verify the price range.

Preparations for the regatta, to be held at the Punnamada lake on August 12, were in full swing, officials said. Work on deepening of the tracks was in progress, said infrastructure committee convener and Irrigation executive engineer R. Rekha. Maintenance work of roads leading to the lake was being executed by the Public Works Department. The services of the Fire and Rescue Services Department and expert swimmers will be made available on the day of the event.