Oct 1, 2017

Tobacco restrictions to bring disruption to Traders but reduce consumption


DINAMALAR NEWS


ரூ.2.50 லட்சம் மதிப்பு பான் மசாலா பறிமுதல்

திருவண்ணாமலை: திருவண்ணாமலையில், இரண்டரை லட்சம் ரூபாய் மதிப்புள்ள பான் மசாலாவை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.திருவண்ணாமலையில் உள்ள எஸ்.ஆர்.எஸ்., பார்சல் மையத்திற்கு, பெங்களூருவில் இருந்து வரும் பார்சல் வேனில், தடை செய்யப்பட்ட பான்மசாலா வருவதாக, நுண்ணறிவு போலீசாருக்கு தகவல் கிடைத்தது. 
போலீசார் மற்றும் மாவட்ட உணவு பொருள் பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள், பார்சல் சர்வீஸ் மையத்திற்கு நேற்று காலை சென்று, வேனில் வந்த பார்சலை ஆய்வு செய்தனர். அதில் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட, 2.50 லட்சம் ரூபாய் மதிப்புள்ள பான்
மசாலா, 15 பண்டல்கள் இருப்பது தெரியவந்தது. அதில் இருந்த முகவரியை வைத்து விசாரித்ததில், திருவண்ணாமலை அசலியம்மன் கோவில் தெருவை சேர்ந்த ஜித்தேந்தர், 35, அவரது சகோதரர் நவ்ராம், 34, ஆகியோருக்கு, ராஜஸ்தான் மாநிலத்திலிருந்து பான்மசாலா 
பாக்கெட்டுகள் வந்தது தெரியவந்தது. இதையடுத்து அதை பறிமுதல் செய்து, அவர்கள் இருவரிடமும் விசாரித்து வருகின்றனர்.

FSSAI visits city’s places of worship to check on food safety

Thane: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently flagged off a community awareness programme to educate people about food safety and hygiene in places of worship.
The campaign called Bhog is conceptualised by the FSSAI, an autonomous body of the central health ministry, which aims to concentrate its activity at all religious sites where the devotees tend to overlook hygiene while giving away prasad or serving food in and around the premises. In fact, the religious places could be termed as high-risk prone spots for spread of illness caused due to food contamination, flies, said the officials.
The campaign aims to train volunteers in the religious centres around mosques, gurudwaras, churches and temples. It will conduct vendor training programmes, workshops on food safety management systems, utilization of leftover flowers, fruits and vegetables, product handling and safety to name a few.
A senior official from the FSSAI said, "There is a need to inform and alert people about sanitation and food safety when it comes to prasad that is served to the devotees at places of worship. We have big temples in the city that see thousands of visitors, specially during the festive season. So, in September we conducted numerous visits to Kopineshwar temple, Sai Baba mandir at Vartak Nagar and the gurudwara at Teen Hath Naka. We also organised a training session wherein around 105 people from the food industry involved in preparation of sweets participated."
For example, in preparing the traditional sweet boondi as prasad, which is a popular delicacy, a systematic guidance procedure was laid down for the participants. From checking the quality of sieve, the concentration of sugar syrup to checking the frying temperature, everything needs to be inspected to avoid microbial contamination, said the team members.
"Right from preparation of the prasad to its handling, packaging and storage, everything is monitored by a health inspection officer, who also takes into account factors such as cleanliness of the premises, implementation of food hygiene and safety procedures," said an official.
There is a need to inform and alert people about sanitation and food safety when it comes to prasad that is served to the devotees. We conducted numerous visits to Kopineshwar temple, Sai Baba mandir at Vartak Nagar and the gurudwara at Teen Hath Naka.

INDIAN-ORIGIN 'CHICKEN KING' TO FACE INQUIRY OVER HYGIENE STANDARDS

An Indian-origin founder of Britain's 2 Sisters Food Group -- the largest supplier of chicken to supermarkets in the country -- is facing a parliamentary inquiry after an undercover investigation revealed poor hygiene standards and safety dates of chicken being allegedly manipulated in his factory.
Ranjit Singh Boparan's 2 Sisters Food Group (2SFG), which owns the factory in West Bromwich, will be probed after a joint investigation by the Guardian and ITV News showed footage of workers altering the source and slaughter date of poultry being processed at the plant. 
Experts said their actions could artificially stretch the commercial life of the meat and dupe consumers into buying chicken past its use-by date. 
Other footage showed chicken being picked off the floor and being thrown back on to the production line, and older poultry being mixed with fresher birds.
The empire created by 51-year-old Boparan, known as the "chicken king", employs 23,000 people. 
Neil Parish, the Chairman of Parliament's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, said he was preparing to call Boparan to Westminster to answer questions about the scandal. 
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) also launched an investigation into the company, which produces a third of all poultry products eaten in the UK.
Three of the UK's biggest supermarket chains -- Marks & Spencer, Aldi and Lidl -- have meanwhile halted deliveries of chicken from the company's West Bromwich plant.
Marks & Spencer said the footage showed "unacceptable" standards. All chicken received from the plant had been cleared from its shelves as a precautionary measure and all further deliveries had been stopped until M&S completed its own investigation of conditions in the chicken factory.
Aldi and Lidl said they had also suspended supplies from the food processor, while Tesco and Sainsbury's had launched their own investigations.
The prospect of the Boparan being called in front of parliamentarians emerged as the FSA said it had begun "liaising with the local authority in regards to taking the investigation forward and will consider whether offences have been committed".
A spokesman for 2SFG said: "We have now had an opportunity to view all the evidence and launch our own internal investigation. This is ongoing and we will ensure our inquiries are comprehensive and thorough. We will of course continue to work closely with all stakeholders during this investigative phase."
"2SFG ensures all staff are fully trained on hygiene and safety matters, and enforces a number of policies to ensure compliance with all regulations," the 2SFG spokesman said.
Boparan founded the 2 Sisters Food Group in 1993 with a bank loan, and has since grown the firm into the UK's second largest food business by turnover. It claims to process around 6 million chickens a week.
Boparan and his wife Baljinder Kaur Boparan are estimated by the Sunday Times Rich List to be worth 544 million pounds.

DB extends 3 weeks’ time to Secys Health/Housing & Comm JMC, PCB to file response

JAMMU, Sep 29: Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Sanjeev Kumar extended 3 weeks further time to the Commissioner /Secretary to Govt. Health and Medical Education Department, Commissioner /Secretary to Govt. Animal /Sheep Husbandry Department, Commissioner /Secretary to Govt. Housing and Urban Development Department, Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation, Director Animal Husbandry Department Jammu, Chairman J&K State Pollution Control Board, Regional Director J&K State Pollution Control Board Jammu, Municipal Veterinary Officer Municipal Corporation Jammu, Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India New Delhi to file their response in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by SAVE (Save Animal Value Environment) an NGO working for welfare of animals through its Chairperson Devinder Kaur Madaan alias Rumpy Madaan seeking immediate closure of 59 number of un-registered dairies running within the limits of Jammu Municipal Corporation.
When this PIL came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Rahul Raina, Suraj Singh and Supriya Chouhan appearing for the PIL drew the attention of the Court towards the last order passed by the Division Bench headed by Justice Alok Aradhe whereby 4 weeks time had been granted to the aforesaid functionaries of the State to file response to the PIL.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted that Jammu Municipal Corporation is taking the issue of unauthorized dairies very casually and has not come forward with its response when the issue is of great public importance relating to the health of the people.
At this stage Senior AAG S.S. Nanda caused appearance for Jammu Municipal Corporation and Commissioner /Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department, Deputy AGs Ehsan Mirza and Vishal Bharti appearing vice Senior AAG H.A. Siddiqui for Commissioner /Secretary Health and Medical Education, Government Advocate Ahtsham Bhat for Chairman Pollution Control Board, Government Advocate Sanjeev Padha for Commissioner /Secretary Sheep /Animal Husbandry Department and Advocate Amita Khajuria vice Advocate Rakesh Sharma appearing for Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India New Delhi sought some more time to respond to the Public Interest Litigation.
Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the PIL drew the attention of the Division Bench towards the information divulged by Public Information Officer, Jammu Municipal Corporation vide his No.VPHS/MVO/331 dated 19-12-2014 read with communication No.JMC/S/ RTI/4758 dated 21-01-2015 wherein it was disclosed that there are 57 number of registered dairies and 59 number of un-registered dairies situated in JMC limits. He further submitted that till date 59 un-registered dairies are still working within the limits of JMC and the condition of the existing 57 registered dairies is also terrible as most of them are located in densely populated residential areas and the dung disposal goes into the public drains leading to infections/ environmental pollution and the officers of the JMC are totally unmoved over the rampant violations being committed by the owners of these dairies. He further submitted that even the registered 57 milk dairies are also functioning without the proper infrastructure and the Veterinary Division of JMC is not taking serious steps to enforce its orders/ norms /guidelines circulated vide public notice No.DIP/J-1494-P dated 10-2-2016.JNF