Provisions of Food Safety Act not being adhered

NL Correspondent Jammu, Dec. 21: Though the High Court had directed the state government and civil authorities to submit regular about the quality of food being served to the people by restaurants and eating joints, but it is not being adhered properly. It has already been decided to put ban on the issuance or renewal of the licence without production of the fitness certificate to ensure that the these food sellers, regardless of the safety precautions they take at work, undergo a mandatory medical examination for ratifying their physical fitness in order to pursue their trade. Government of India's Food Act 2006 stipulates that hygiene should be given priority when food is served to the people. Numbers of applications were presently pending with the authorities due to lack of the required certificate. Samples has to be collected from small retailer, road side food vendors, hawkers, stall holders, cottage industries relating to food business, meat/mutton/poultry business operators with the slaughtering capacity of two larger animals or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds per day. Now the Drug and Food Control Organisation has directed all the agencies to submit the reports before it within two days so that the same could be submitted to the High Court. Court had passed the direction after a PIL filed by social activists. It is pertinent to mention here that people who come under direct contact with food have to demonstrate "fitness for work" certificate following concern shown by the many NGOs and government agencies that people are getting low quality and unhygienic food in the city. When contacted Commissioner of Food Safety (Jammu), Satish Gupta said that they have directed all the concerned agencies to submit their details and reports prepared immediately. "We have directed all civic agencies not to delay submission of reports further and they should adhere to the norms", Gupta said. As per Commissioner Food Safety, all food business operators were directed to renew their existing licenses, registration granted under the repealed Food Act/Order under the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Food Safety & Standards (Licensing & Regulation of Food Business) Regulations, 2011.