BCC, BIA welcome deadline extension

PATNA: The Bihar Chamber of Commerce (BCC) and Bihar Industries Association (BIA) on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the decision of the Union government to extend by six months the deadline for registration and procurement of licenses by the manufacturers, suppliers and other operators in food supply chain under the provisions of Food Safety and Security Act (FSSA). Earlier, the Centre had fixed August 4, 2012, as the last date of registration and getting license.
BCC president O P Sah said the six months' extension was imperative as the FSSA and its regulations were quite complicated. The FSSA came into force from 2006, the year when it was enacted by the parliament, but its regulations were framed in 2011. Hence, there was need to create proper awareness about this among the stakeholders.
Sah suggested the food safety commissioner should organize awareness programmes to educate those in the food business about the pros and con of the FSSA and its regulation for proper compliance of the new law. The state government's department tasked with enforcing food safety and standard provisions of the Act should hold registration camps in different cities and at district level to issue licenses under the FSSA. He also urged the businessmen to come forward and get their enterprises registered.

BIA president K P S Keshri said the six months' extension was necessary as gradual compliance with the FSSA and its regulations would enable a large number of enterprises and people involved in the food supply chain to get themselves registered and also get license. He said even the six months' extra time would not be sufficient if all the enterprises concerned do not hurry up to get their units registered. The BIA had recently organized a workshop in this regard.

Proper tests not done before giving nod to Bt Brinjal: Parliamentary Panel

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has recommended a thorough probe into the controversy surrounding Bt Brinjal and indicated the approval committee was under tremendous pressure from the "industry and a minister" and did not conduct requisite tests properly before granting approval for introduction.
The 31-member parliamentary standing committee on agriculture tabled its report in Parliament on 'cultivation of genetically modified food crops - prospects and effects' on Thursday. The 492-page exhaustive report on the issue has rejected the idea of genetically modified food crops for India, punching holes in the theory of an urgent need to increase food production through bio-technology. The committee had taken up the issue suo moto in 2010, when a debate over Bt Brinjal and Bt Cotton was raging. It has now observed it was convinced that the government did not carry out significant tests properly before giving a go-ahead for commercial production of Bt Brinjal.
The committee said it was indicative of "collusion of a worst kind". Standing committee chairman Basudeb Acharia said the observation was made after testimony of Dr PM Bhargava, the Supreme Court nominee on Genetic Engineering Appraisal committee (GEAC), before the parliamentary panel. Bhargava said co-chairman of GEAC Prof Arjula Reddy confessed that the tests asked by Bhargava for assessing Bt Brinjal had not been carried out and even the tests undertaken were performed badly as Reddy was under pressure with calls from industry, GEAC and the minister to approve Bt Brinjal. Speaking to reporters Acharia refused to divulge the name of the minister. When asked whether the committee was told the name, Acharia replied in the negative. The committee found that GM crops have an impact on health and the environment and these aspects were overlooked while approving Bt Brinjal trials in India.
After examining the issue for two-and-a-half years, the committee felt there was no need to introduce genetically modified food crops in India. Acharia said, "in a country like India, where 82% of farmers are small and marginal we should not go for genetically modified food crops. But if at all the government decides to - because of the argument that the demand for food will increase abnormally by 2020 and existing technology would not be sufficient - then there should be enough safeguards in place. Even then we feel that the government should go for indigenous alternatives. If you see in the past we have been able to increase our food production from 56 million tonnes to 254 million tones, then why do we think in future we won't be able to achieve such growth in food production?"
The committee has strongly criticised the present regulatory system for genetically modified crops, calling it antiquated and inadequate. It has pointed out serious conflict of interest of various stakeholders involved in the regulatory mechanism as well. Making sharp observations on the issue, the committee has recommended that the government bring an all-encompassing umbrella legislation on bio-safety, "which is focused on ensuring the bio-safety, biodiversity, human and livestock health, environmental protection and which specifically describes the extent to which bio-technology, including modern bio-technology, fits in the scheme of things. Acharia said the committee as recommended that the government bring such a legislation "after due consultation with all stakeholders and bring it before Parliament without any further delay".
The panel has also recommended proper labelling of genetically modified food. Acharia said the consumer had the right to know and make an informed choice. He pointed out that other countries which allow GM food, such labeling laws are in place.
"The committee recommends that the government should immediately issue regulation for making labeling of all GM products, including food, feed and food products, so as to ensure the consumer is able to make an informed choice in the matter of what he/she wants to consume," the report says.
The report is significant as it comes at a time when the Centre, especially the Ministry of Science and Technology, is trying hard to introduce a new regulatory system for GM crops by the name Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India.
The committee is dominated by UPA with 11 Congress MPs, two from DMK and one Trinamool Congress member. With one member from Samajwadi Party and two from BSP, the total strength of UPA and supporting parties is 17 on the panel. Left Front has two members, including Acharia and one Forward Bloc MP and NDA has 12 MPs.
Ironically, the stand taken by Acharia-led committee is divergent from the view of CPM, Acharia's party. CPM polit bureau member S Ramachandran Pillai had kicked up a storm in Kerala last year when he had nuanced his party's view by saying complete opposition to genetically modified crops was superstitious. Pillai also appeared before the standing committee as the president of the All India Kisan Sabha and said: "I am for making use of the achievements of science and technology in agriculture as in the case of other areas... There are possibilities for increasing productivity and production in agriculture by making use of genetically modified crops... Very rigorous bio-diversity tests should be conducted to ensure that the genetically modified crops should not cause any ill effects on human life, other plant and animal life and also on the overall environment."

Deadline for registration of shops extended

Bathinda, August 9

The Punjab Government has extended the deadline for registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act of India (FSSAI) bringing a much-needed relief to the health authorities as well as the businessmen concerned.

District Health Officer Dr R S Randhawa, the designated officer in-charge, said there are around 60,000 people who are covered under the Act. "Those dealing in any kind of food item are required to be registered under the Act, be it a vegetable vendor, tea stall owner or hotelier," he said.
Earlier, the deadline for the registration was August 3, which has now been extended by six months to February 3. The move meant to give enough time to people to get registered.
"The extension in the deadline actually acted as a dampener. Earlier, people were in a rush to get themselves registered but now the number of applications has trickled down. So far, only 1,500 applications have come up for registration," said sources in the health department.
Health authorities fear that people may start turning up in hordes again in January next year, the way it happened in the end of July this year. The department has held series of meetings with various unions of traders, dairy owners, dhaba owners, hotel owners, restaurant owners and others informing them the benefits of the Act.
Earlier, there was the Food Safety Act, which was very stringent as people had to deal with long legal battles when their food samples faced laboratory tests.
However, the new legislation has different provisions of penalisation.
In view of a food product being declared not injurious to human health or not life threatening, or has been mislabelled or misbranded, the case would be forwarded to the court of additional deputy commissioner ADC (Development), who has been designated as the adjudicator under the new Act.
“At the adjudicator's court, the matter would be resolved in less than a year which would result in saving businessmen from long legal hassles," the health officials said.
Fact file

• The FSSAI aims at ensuring that people are given clean and hygienic food to eat. The Act has provisions of creating healthy habits amongst those who deal in food. For instance a juice vendor would be directed to keep a covered bin for the waste; serve juices in glasses cleaned with detergent and water; and to cover his set up with net or mesh to prevent flies from contaminating the edibles.
• Under the Act, a small time trader will have to pay Rs 1,000 as registration fees while those with a turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh per annum will have to obtain licences.

House panel wants ban on Bt brinjal field trials

A parliamentary committee has recommended a ban on field trial of all genetically modified crops until “all regulatory and surveillance mechanisms” are in place. It also suggested a “thorough investigation” into the controversy on Bt brinjal.
In a report submitted to both Houses on Thursday, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture blamed “collusion of the worst kind” behind promotion of the genetically-modified vegetable.

It suggested that a team of independent scientists and environmentalists be appointed to study the propagation of Bt brinjal in the country, right from its introduction to the imposition of moratorium on its commercialisation by erstwhile environment minister Jairam Ramesh on February 9, 2010.

The allegation of “collusion” comes from the deposition of veteran biologist P M Bhargava, the Supreme Court-appointed nominee in the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), India’s highest authority on GM crops.

In his testimony before the committee, Bhargava, who is the founder director of the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, said GEAC co-chairman Arjula Reddy got calls from the industry, colleagues in GEAC and a minister, to approve the genetically engineered eggplant.

However, chairman of the committee and CPM MP Basudev Acharia said neither did he know the name of the minister in question, nor did he ask Bhargava to identify him. Since Reddy did not depose, the committee based its assertions on Bhargava’s statement.

A major flaw in the regulatory mechanism for Bt brinjal was that the 30 per cent increase in toxic alkaloid content in the genetically-modified variety was not taken into consideration.

“Field trial of GM crops under any garb should be discontinued forthwith. while research and development on transgenic components in crops should only be done in strict containment till the government puts in place regulatory, monitoring, oversight and surveillance mechanisms,” the report said.

Criticising the government for failing to implement a “bio-safety friendly regulation,” the committee recommended that “an all encompassing bio-safety authority to focus on bio-safety, bio-diversity, human and livestock health and environmental protection be set up.”

Neither did the committee favour the proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India bill put forth by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). “DBT is the promoter of biotechnology. How can it be the regulator as well,” wondered Acharia.

The 492-page report further suggested that infrastructure of GEAC and the Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation, which oversees GM crop research, be upgraded. In addition, the National Biodiversity Authority and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India be suitably equipped for keeping an eye on the misuse of GM technology, it said.

House panel for probe into Bt brinjal issue

In a move which could stall the commercial introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops in India, a parliamentary panel on Thursday recommended a ‘thorough probe’ by independent scientists and environmentalists into the entire process of granting approval to Bt brinjal.
After going through more than 1,800 submissions, the parliamentary committee on agriculture (2011-12) in its report titled ‘Cultivation of genetically modified food crops – prospects and effects’ severely criticised Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), which had given approval for the commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal on the basis of its ‘own assessment’ in 2009. After protests from civil society groups and scientists, Jairam Ramesh, then environment minister, imposed an indefinite moratorium on the commercial release of Bt brinjal.
“The GEAC is now sitting on its own judgment and also on the various reports on the merits and demerits of GM crop. It is a clear case of conflict of interest,” the parliament panel chaired by CPM MP Basudeb Acharya has noted.
Bt brinjal is a genetically-modified vegetable which is infused with Cry1Ac gene from bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) to make the plant resistant to certain pests.
The panel, consisting 31 Lok Sabha members, has recommended the evaluation of the Bt brinjal reports by some other agency such as CSIR “since they not only have sufficient expertise in this regard but also have minimum conflict of interest in the matter amongst the various public sector scientific institutions”.
Criticising the current system of regulations for the GM crops, the panel has observed “all is not well with the regulatory mechanism put in place by the government for oversight of cutting edge technology as sensitive as GMOs”. “The GEAC being an entity created under rules rather than an Act of Parliament deprives it of the status, powers and more importantly autonomy and independence that a statutory regulator ought to have,” it added.
“The government has inordinately dithered in bringing in appropriate bio-safety friendly legislation in the matter before the Parliament,” Acharya said after presenting the panel\'s report in Parliament.
“This report vindicates the concerns and positions taken by many state governments such as Bihar, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh to disallow GM crops, including field trials. It also vindicates the larger public demand not to allow GM crops into our food and farming systems” Coalition for a GM free India convener Sridhar Radhakrishnan said.
The parliamentary panel also has sought explanation from the department of consumer affairs and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) after tonne of cotton seed oil extracted from Bt cotton had gone into food chain with various agencies oblivious of the fact.
Many environmental groups have been opposing BT brinjal saying that there are enough indigenously developed brinjal varieties in the country and the government should not use Bt crop in a hurry without ensuring the health impact on humans. Brinjal is grown in around 5.5 lakh hectare in the country and is an important cash crop for more than 1.4 million small and marginal farmers. West Bengal, contributes around 30% to the country’s annual brinjal production of over 9 million tonne. Orissa produces 20% and Bihar 12% of the total output.
In 2002, Bt cotton was the first GM crop introduced for commercial cultivation. Since its introduction, the country’s cotton production has increased from 12-13 million bale (170 kg in a bale) in the 1990s to around 35 million bale at present. This has made India the second biggest cotton producer in the world surpassing the United States.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Ice-cream parlour owner told to pay Rs 50k penalty

PUNE: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Wednesday imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on the owner of an ice-cream parlour in Pune district for using saccharine, an artificial sweetener banned in certain food products including ice-cream. "Samples of two different flavours taken from an ice-cream parlour at Yelse village in Maval taluka did not conform to set standards of quality. A laboratory test found the presence of saccharine in both the samples," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune division.
As an adjudicating officer, Kekare imposed the penalty under section 50 and 47 of the Food Safety and Standards Act ( FSSA) 2006.
Saccharin is 300 to 500 times sweeter than table sugar. Due to its bitter aftertaste, it is often blended with other artificial sweeteners. It is widely used in diet foods and beverages as it provides no calories and passes through urine.
"Studies have shown that use of saccharine in inappropriate amount can have harmful effects on human body," Kekare said.