Designated officer, 22 food safety officers appointed for district
Traders engaged in food business in the district were oriented to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 here on Thursday.
Chairing the meeting, Collector Jayashree Muralidharan pointed out that the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 had come into force across the country from August 5, 2011 and it was essential that all traders engaged in food business conformed to the provisions of the Act.
The State government has established a Tamil Nadu Safety and Drug Administration Department to enforce the Act. A district level designated officer and 22 food safety officers have been appointed for Tiruchi district.
The functions of the department would include taking steps to ensure that food supplied to people was safe, issuing licences to micro and small traders and other commercial establishments engaged in food business, preventing sale of food products hazardous to public health, creating awareness of food safety and conducting surveillance, she said.
Hygiene
All commercial establishments and traders engaged in food business should obtain licences under the Act to start or continue their trade, she said and urged the traders to ensure quality and hygiene in the food sold by them. The premises of the food establishments should be safe and hygienic.
They should not sell food products past their expiry dates, adulterated, sub-standard or banned food products. Employees deployed by them should maintain hygiene, she said and appealed to the traders to extend their cooperation to the district administration in implementing the provisions of the Act.
Designated officer
P.Kanagarathinam, District Revenue Officer and Adjudicating Officer, A.Ramakrishnan, Designated Officer, TN Food Safety and Drug Administration (Food Wing), Annadurai, Senior Manager, Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation, and M.Theerthagiri, District Supplies Officer, participated in the meeting.
Mr.Ramakrishnan told The Hindu that all food business operators with a turnover of Rs.12 lakh should obtain licences from the designated officer and those with turnover below Rs.12 lakh should register themselves with the respective food safety officer.
While five food safety officers are within the Tiruchi Corporation limits, one officer each has been appointed for the three municipalities and 14 blocks of the district. The District Revenue Officer will be the adjudicating officer for the district and pass orders on the reports sent in by the designated officer.
State has established Tamil Nadu Safety and Drug Administration Department to enforce the Act
All establishments and traders engaged in food business should obtain licences under the Act
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