குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களுக்கு அக். 7 வரை பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயம் கெடு!

சென்னை: சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தின் விதிமுறைகளை அமல்படுத்த  குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் அவகாகம் கேட்டதை தொடர்ந்து, அக்டோபர் 7ஆம் தேதி வரை பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயம் கெடு விதித்துள்ளது.
குடிநீர் சப்ளை செய்யும் நிறுவனங்கள், சுகாதாரமற்ற குடிநீரை வழங்குவதாக கூறி தாமாகவே முன் வந்து பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயம் வழக்குப் பதிவு செய்து விசாரணை செய்தது. இதையடுத்து, 300க்கும் மேற்பட்ட குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களுக்கு சீல் வைக்க உத்தரவிட்டது.
இந்த உத்தரவை எதிர்த்து குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் மேல்முறையீடு செய்தன. இந்த மனுவை விசாரித்த உயர் நீதிமன்றம், சில விதிமுறைகளை அமல்படுத்த உத்தரவிட்டது.

இந்நிலையில்,இந்த வழக்கு சென்னை பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம் நீதிபதி சொக்கலிங்கம் முன்பு இன்று விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது. அப்போது, சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றம் பிறப்பித்த விதிமுறைகளை அமல்படுத்த அவகாசம் தேவை என்று குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் சார்பில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது.
இதையடுத்து, அக்டோபர் 7ஆம் தேதி வரை அவகாசம் அளித்த நீதிபதி, அதுவரை நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டாம் என தமிழ்நாடு மாசுகட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியத்துக்கு உத்தரவிட்டார்.

Centre allowed to get junkfood guidelines examined by experts

The Centre's plea that a committee would examine guidelines on regulating sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around schools premises was allowed.

 

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today allowed the Centre's plea that an expert committee would examine its recently-drafted guidelines on regulating sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around schools premises.
"We have a seven-member expert committee. We would place the draft guidelines (on junk food) before the expert committee. Kindly give us four weeks time," Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Rajeeve Mehra, appearing for the Centre, told a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana.
The bench, also comprising Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, allowed the plea of the Centre and said that in the meantime, private parties like the Restaurants Association may file their representations to the expert committee on the issue.
During the hearing, senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for one of the parties, opposed the draft guidelines of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) saying that private firm AC Nielsen QRG-MARG Pvt Ltd cannot be allowed to frame them.
"At best, it (AC Nielsen QRG-MARG Pvt Ltd) can collect the data, but it cannot frame guidelines," he said. Similar plea was taken up by another senior lawyer Ashok Desai who said that the Food Safety and Standards Act has a specific provision and a private body cannot do this.
"The term junk food is a subjective term. A food item may be junk food for one and may not be for others," Singhvi said.
"Such submissions would derail the process. The issue raised in the PIL goes beyond the Act (Food Safety and Standards Act)," the bench said.
"We are looking at health issues. Obesity and even hypertension are becoming prevalent among children. We are aping the West," the ASG said.
Earlier, the court had given a 10-day deadline to the Centre to come out with detailed guidelines for regulating sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around schools. 

MAALAI MALAR NEWS

Nine packaged water units face closure in Salem

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notice to nine packaged drinking water units in the district asking them to stop production within seven days or face closure.

This comes in the wake of the direction from the National Green Tribunal that ordered the closure of units functioning without obtaining product approval and ISI certification.

Drinking water

These units were producing packaged drinking water and operating under the guise of flavoured water or herbal water in Salem, Kadayampatti, Ayothiapattanam, Attur and Tharamangalam. T. Anuradha, District Designated Officer, Food Safety and Health Administration Department told The Hindu that notices were issued to the units under Section 26, 27, 33, 36 (3) (a) (b) (l) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

She added that the firms have to get their products approved by the FSSAI and also obtain no-objection certificate (NOC) to operate their units.

Expenses

Officials said that the expenses for ISI certification could be around Rs. 2 lakh per year and hence these units get licence from associations.

FDA seizes eatables with faulty labels

Director cautions vendors and public to insist on labels and quality

A regular surveillance by the Directorate of Food & Drugs Administration (FDA) ahead of the Ganesh festival have intercepted consignments of food and other products with faulty labelling and misbranding brought from Kerala and other parts of the country into the State.

FDA Director Salim Veljee said on Tuesday that they conducted the surveillance in the last week of August.

The FDA warned the food business community that food vendors should exercise their responsibility to purchase and display only those food articles that are properly labelled in terms of manufacturing date, best before use, net weight, MRP and nutritional label.

Mr. Veljee also advised all consumers to remain vigilant while purchasing such sweets and snacks (farsan), and to refrain from purchasing food articles that do not bear proper and complete product labelling.

During this special drive, the Food Safety officers also kept a strict vigilance over the ‘mawa/kalakand’ arriving in Goa from Belgaum, which is used in the preparation of sweets. This is brought via railways or bus routes.

The FDA Director said that three special raids were conducted in Ponda, Margao (south Goa) and Mapusa (north Goa) based on tips about arrival of suspected quality ‘mawa’ into the State. However, the vendors returned the consignment to Belgaum, said Mr. Veljee. He was happy that the FDA ensured the consignment did not arrive into the State. FDA’s surveillance of such suspected activities will continue on certain vendors to foil their malpractice attempts, said Mr. Veljee.

In several raids conduced by FDA in Margao/Navelim/Davorlim Salcette (south Goa) as well as in Chimbel in Tiswadi (north Goa) ahead of the Ganesh festival, huge quantity of ‘farsan’ and sealed food articles were confiscated from vendors who did not posses food licence. Food articles that were not labelled as prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and the Rules/Regulation 2011.

Mr. Veljee said that goods worth almost Rs. 45,000 were confiscated in Salcette raids and around Rs. 30,000 in the Chimbel raids.

Cautioning the food vendors, he said they should insist that their suppliers produce their food licence granted under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 before accepting and stocking/displaying their food articles for re-sale to consumers.

The FDA has insisted that such practice be strictly adopted by all supermarkets, provision stores, Sahakar Bhandars, Bhagyadar stores, and other retail outlets.

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Food Safety officers are keeping a strict vigilance over the ‘mawa’ coming from Belgaum

Farsan and sealed food articles are seized from vendors who did not have licences

Annapure takes over as jt. commissioner, food, Greater Mumbai Division

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, has appointed Suresh Annapure as new joint commissioner, food, for Greater Mumbai Division, in the place of Suresh Deshmukh, joint commissioner, food.

Deshmukh has been transferred to Amravati while Annapure has been transferred from Nagpur to Mumbai.
The new joint commissioner, food, had a brief chat with FnB News on Monday. With regard to the number of licensing and registrations undertaken in his area under the Food Safety & Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, he informed, “Till date we have issued 21,885 licences and completed 26,719 registrations.”
When asked, whether FDA, Maharashtra, would be able to complete the process of licensing and registration in the state before the deadline of February 4, 2014, he stated, “Already the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has extended the deadline thrice. But I hope that with the help of NGOs in Maharashtra we will be able to complete the registration and licensing well on time.”

DINAMALAR NEWS

அனுமதியில்லாத ஹெர்பல் மற்றும் பிளேவர்டு குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களை மூட அரசு உத்தரவு

மாநிலம் முழுவதும் அனுமதியின்றி செயல்படும், "ஹெர்பல்,பிளேவர்டு' குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களை இழுத்து மூட, தமிழக அரசு உத்தரவிட்டு உள்ளது. உணவுபாதுகாப்புத் துறை மூலம், "நோட்டீஸ்' வினியோகிக்கும் பணி துவங்கிஉள்ளது. தனியார் குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களில் இருந்து, விற்பனைக்கு அனுப்பும் குடிநீர், தரமானது இல்லை என, தெரிய வந்ததால், தென்மண்டல பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம் தானாக முன் வந்து, வழக்கு பதிந்து, விசாரித்து வருகிறது. இதில், தமிழகம் முழுவதும், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., உரிமம் பெறாத நிறுவனங்கள் மீது, நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது. மாநிலம் முழுவதும் உள்ள நிறுவனங்களில், குடிநீர் மாதிரிகள் எடுத்து பரிசோதிக்க, பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம் உத்தர விட்டு உள்ளது. இது தவிர, "ஹெர்பல், பிளேவர்டு' குடிநீர் என்ற பெயரில், மத்திய உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறையின் அனுமதியின்றி, ஏராளமான குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் செயல்பட்டு வருகின்றன. இந்த நிறுவனங்கள் மீதும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க, பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம் உத்தரவிட்டது. கடந்த முறை நடந்த விசாரணையின்போது, குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களின் மாதிரிகள் எடுக்காதது குறித்து, மாசுக் கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரிய அதிகாரிகளை, தீர்ப்பாயம் கண்டித்தது. அதனால், அனுமதியின்றி செயல்படும், "ஹெர்பல், பிளேவர்டு' குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களை இழுத்து மூட, தமிழக அரசு உத்தரவிட்டு உள்ளது. உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறை மூலம், இதற்கான
நடவடிக்கைகள் முடுக்கி விடப்பட்டு உள்ளன. உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறையின் மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர்களுக்கு, இதுகுறித்த தகவல்கள், அவசர அவசரமாக அனுப்பி வைக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளன. இதன்படி, ஒரு வாரத்தில் மூட வேண்டும் என, "நோட்டீஸ்' வினியோகிக்கும் பணி நேற்று துவங்கியுள்ளது.
குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் தொடர்பான வழக்குகள், பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயத்தில் இன்று விசாரணைக்கு வரும் நிலையில், அரசுஅதிரடி நடவடிக்கை எடுத்து ள்ளது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

As festivals near, FDA Maharashtra to crack down on sweet adulteration

With the festive season round the corner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra has already embarked upon drive to curb adulteration in milk and sweets. Addressing a press conference at the state food regulator's headquarters in Mumbai on Monday, Suresh Annapure, who was recently appointed joint commissioner (Greater Mumbai), food, said the people of Maharashtra can expect an adulteration-free festive season this year.
Between July 20, 2013 and now, FDA Maharashtra's Greater Mumbai division has conducted raids on the premises of 186 food business operators (FBOs), seized adulterated food worth Rs 32, 39, 333 lakh, and fined 22 FBOs for violating the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006 and Regulations (FSSR), 2011. First information reports (FIR) have been filed against 20 FBOs in various police stations in the city.
Annapure said, “With the help of the Worli Milk unit, I, along with S K Shere, joint commissioner, food, Thane district, and other officers initiated a drive to check up adulterated milk at all the five check nakas in Mumbai recently. Overall, we collected more than four lakh litre of milk from 113 milk vehicles on the spot. Our officials found that about 2,103 litres of milk did not adhere to FSSA, and that was the reason it was sent back.”
“Three samples of milk were sent to laboratories for testing. In a single raid organised on milk vendors who sell milk through bicycle at the doorsteps of consumers, we found a case of tampering in Borivali, and we filed a case against him. He was arrested soon by the Borivali police station. In order to curb the adulteration of sweets, we are doing regular check-ups at all sweet shops in Mumbai. This year, we will ensure a safe festive season for all the people of Mumbai,” he said.
Annapure informed, “Since sweets are consumed in large quantities during Ganeshotsav, Navratri, Dussehra and Diwali, we are distributing handbills to the people about precautions and guidance required to be taken at large while buying and consuming the sweets and milk and milk products. Any consumers who find FBOs not following FSSA and indulging in adulteration can call our helpline (number: 1800-11-2100) any time, and action will be taken against the offenders within 24 hours.”
The following are the precautions:

• While buying sweets, milk and milk products, one should ensure that they are fresh, properly labelled and sold in a packaged condition;
• As far as possible, do not buy sweets, milk or milk products without a purchase bill or guarantee;
• Do not buy sweets which are not stored or manufactured in hygienic conditions;
• Sweets prepared from mawa (khoya) must be consumed within 24 hours and stored under proper refrigeration. Mawa should be purchased only from registered or licensed premises;
• Bengali and the related sweet items should be consumed within eight to ten hours from the time of purchase;
• If fungus is observed on the sweets, it should not be consumed and destroyed immediately, and
• If the sweets are spoiled and there is a difference in the taste, it should not be consumed.

Mumbai: Choose the right shops to buy sweets during festival: FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has renewed its drive against adulteration in sweets and it has cautioned citizens to be careful when purchasing and consuming sweets during the Ganesh festival that kicks off next week.

“During the festivities, people consume tempting milk-based sweets without checking if the ingredients used, like khoya, ghee and oil, are pure,” said Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner (food), FDA. “Besides this, adulteration of grains, tea, sugar, rawa is also rampant at grocery shops.

So if consumers suspect adulteration of food items they should lodge their complaints with the FDA through out interactive voice response system.”

The authority announced on Monday that four vigilance squads headed by food safety officers had been constituted to check samples of khoya at major railway stations (Kurla Junction, Mumbai Central, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Bandra Terminus) as it has been found in the past that adulterated khoya is brought in to the city from outside Maharashtra.

“On-the-spot testing of ingredients and sweets is underway in the continuing action initiated by the FDA. The food inspectors are also conducting valuation of khoya based on the price of milk and the amount of fuel and labour used to prepare it. If shopkeepers sell khoya or khoya-based sweets at a price lower than this valuation, they will be continually on the FDA’s radar for suspected malpractices,” Annapure said.

'No unhygenic sweets this Chovoth'

PANAJI: Take a closer look while stocking up on sweets and farsan goodies this Ganesh Utsav -a time when the peddling of poor-quality foodstuffs is rampant, the state food and drug administration (FDA) has warned food vendors.
Stepping up its surveillance ahead of the festive season, the FDA has cast a net to nab groups bringing in adulterated, unhygenically-stored or stale foodstuff.
"Farsan-related items worth 75,000 have been confiscated during raids conducted at Margao, Navelim, Davorlim and Chimbel. Our officers found that some groups had procured large quantities of savoury snacks and were packing them with labels that claimed the food items were from Kerala and Hyderabad. In reality, we don't know where these snacks were made, and its quality was suspect," said FDA director Salim Veljee.
Apart from unlabelled farsan, the authorities also received tip-offs of a group involved in transporting 'mawa', or 'kalakhand' from Belgaum to Goa, to make sweets. Officers were posted at railway stations and bus routes, to weed out any unlicensed consignments of sweets. "These milk products were not being stored properly and could be potentially dangerous; we made sure that the consignment did not enter Goa," he added. Acting upon a complaint about foul-smelling 'kaju barfi' on sale at a sweetmart in Mapusa, food safety officers raided the shop and took the entire batch of sweets off the shelves.
The FDA also collected 26 samples from various suppliers across Goa, and tested the 'barfi', 'kaju barfi', 'pedha', 'malai barfi', 'ladoo', 'shev', 'chivda', 'shankarpali', 'wafers', 'besan ladoo', and sweets containing silver foil. "We found the samples to be of standard quality," Veljee said.
"Food vendors should also exercise their responsibility of purchasing and displaying only those food articles which are properly labelled in terms of manufacturing date, expiry date, net weight, MRP, ingredients and nutritional label declaration. Whether the item is branded or not, they should carry this information," Veljee said.

Permit cleaning of tainted pepper stocks: NCDEX

Mumbai, Sept 3:  

The National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange has requested the Government authorities to allow market participants to improve the quality of pepper stocks at its six accredited warehouses that were found to contain carcinogenic mineral oil.

Industry players have informed the exchange that farmers and traders adopt various methods to preserve pepper, including by addition of small quantity of mineral oil as a fungicide. Traders routinely use a process of steaming to later remove the mineral oil coating.

Since the traces of mineral oil appear to reflect long-standing industry practice, the exchange has sought the Government intervention in the industry’s interest to give an opportunity to remove the mineral oil coating and improve the quality, said NCDEX in a press release.

Earlier, acting on complaint filed by traders, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India order for destruction of 93 lots found with mineral oil traces. The Kalimirchi Vyapari Association, which has to receive delivery of 7,000 tonnes worth Rs 300 crore, has filed a writ petition against the exchange in the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The matter is expected to come up for hearing on September 17. In fact, it said, most of the stocks in the six warehouses sealed by the authorities were bought by the holders in the off-market transactions outside the exchange platform.

“The Exchange only provides a trading platform for trading in forward contracts. It does not own, deposit or deal with the goods in the warehouses,” it said. Pradeep Acharya, Vice-President, Kalimirichi Vyapari Association, said the exchange cannot deny responsibility. According to bylaws of the Exchange and as stated by the regulator FMC, the exchange is the counter party to every buyer and seller.