Officials on toes to curb use of dead meat in roadside eateries

COIMBATORE: While the hygiene at road side eateries has always been suspect, one would assume that the use of substandard or decaying meat is not a compromise that these small eateries indulge in. Unfortunately, food safety officials in Tiurpur and Coimbatore districts made a shocking discovery recently when they went on a quality control drive.
This hazardous practice was first unearthed by food safety officials of Tirupur district a few months ago when they seized a whopping 500 kg consignment of dead chicken. "Following this seizure, we intensified the quality control drive across the district and for now we have managed to curb the dead stock being sold to eateries," said Dr. O L S Vijay, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Drug Administration department, Tirupur district.
According to the official, ever since the department started intensifying the drive against poor quality meat, roadside eateries started disappearing mysteriously. "This makes us suspect that many of these road side eateries thrive on dead stock," said Dr Vijay.
On the modus operandi of the gang that was involved in this business, the official said that dead stock disposed off by poultry farms were picked up by this gang and sold at cheaper rates to roadside eateries. Enquiries with police revealed that most of the accused remanded in this connection were released on bail later.
Following this, Tirupur district collector G Govindaraj ordered the poultry farms not to dispose off their dead stock in the open but to bury the wastes in their own premises. "A similar incident was also reported near Annur recently after a youth was caught red-handed for possessing dead chickens," Dr Vijay said. Local police say that the youth fled the scene immediately leaving his bike and a complaint was given to the police by the Village Administrative Officer. It is suspected that the dead stock was meant for supply to roadside eateries in Annur.
While unhygienic roadside eateries that are mushrooming in many areas remain a challenge to public health, the issue of dead stock used for chicken preparations has aggravated the problem. Dr.R Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Drug Administration department, Coimbatore district, said that officials are alerted in Coimbatore after the issue was unearthed by their Tirupur counterparts. "It is not possible to ascertain whether the meat available at roadside eateries are from dead stock or not," he said. There is a strong suspicion they use poor quality meat because of the low cost of their dishes, he added.

Food Adulteration: HC unimpressed by Govt’s implementation of FSSA

Seeks Status About Mobile Food Testing Laboratories in J&K

Srinagar: Expressing dissatisfaction over its compliance report, the J&K high Court has directed government to take necessary steps by providing all basic ‘paraphernalia’ for making the provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 (FSSA) “effective and visible on the ground.”
In this regard, a division bench of the court comprising Justices Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Janak Raj Kotwal directed Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education to file a “better affidavit” within three weeks “which must be totally in-keeping with direction (a)” issued on 31 December last year.
“(The affidavit) shall indicate as to what steps have been taken for ensuring strict compliance,” the bench said after perusal of a compliance report regarding “comprehensive proposal” which according to the Commissioner Secretary was under the “active” consideration of the Government for the implementation of Act.
On March 12 last, the court had asked the Commissioner Secretary about the time to be taken by it for finalization of the comprehensive proposal.
In response, the Commissioner Secretary submitted that 12 posts of Assistant Commissioners of Food have been created and the process for filling up of all these posts was under consideration.
“The comprehensive proposal perhaps has been confined only to the creation of the 13 posts,” the court said, adding, “The proposal must take into its sweep all the requirements of the direction (a).”
On December 31, the J&K High Court had issued six directions to authorities as a track “to ensure people of the state are provided safe food items and eatables.”
With regard to direction on the problem of adulteration in milk, the Commissioner Secretary filed compliance report which court observed suggested that a project report has been procured from Commissioner of Food Safety, Gujarat where Mobile Food Testing Laboratories have been put in place with success.
The court further observed as per a Communication addressed by Controller, Drugs & Food Control Organization to the Commissioner Secretary is suggestive of the fact that the proposal for setting up the Mobile Food Testing Laboratories is under active consideration of the Government.
After the perusal of the report, the bench directed the Commissioner Secretary to file an affidavit within three weeks so as to indicate the status vis-a-vis setting up of Mobile Food Testing Laboratories in the State.
The court also directed the Commissioner Secretary Commissioner to file within three weeks an affidavit as to what measures have been taken to provide requisite technical staff and the latest equipments to the concerned food testing Laboratory.
The directions followed the observation by the court that taking the samples shall be result oriented only when testing process is carried out well in time. “When a Laboratory is suffering from its internal ailment, as there is no man-power and latest equipments, the object will get frustrated.”
Regarding the direction to the authorities about taking samples on weekly basis from all factories and industrial units which manufacture and produce spices of all kinds, the court reiterated and directed that process of taking samples shall be increased.
“The action taken report shall also be submitted on next date of hearing on 1st May,” he said.
The directions were passed by court while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by a lawyer Sheikh Ayoub, seeking implementation of the FSSA in the state.
While Additional Advocate General J A Kawoosa, B A Khan and S A Makroo appeared respondents in the case, the petitioner appeared in person along with advocate T H Khawaja.