Packaged water makers must get Food Safety nod: Green Tribunal

Packaged drinking water manufacturers should get no objection certificate (NoC) from all appropriate government authorities including the Directorate of Food Safety and Standards Authority before applying for pollution control board, the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal today said.
The observation was made by a bench comprising Justice M Chockalingam and Prof R Nagendran during resumed hearing of the matter related to alleged pollution in packaged drinking water supplied in the city and other parts of the state. 

 The NGT, based on news reports, had taken up the issue on suo moto basis in March last.
During the last hearing, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) had submitted that as many as 814 units out of 967 do not have its nod for functioning.
When the matter came up today, the Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufactures Association contended that the applications by members for approval should be considered by TNPCB as the Ground Water Extraction Act was repealed by the State government through an ordinance on September 14 last.
The TNPCB had earlier submitted that a Madras High Court order related to the act stood in the way grant of approval to their units.
Counsel for the TNPCB said that clearances from State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre of Public Works Department, Directorate of Food Safety and Standards Authority and the Director of Town and Country Planning were needed.
"If the members of the association get satisfactory report from these authorities, then only the application for consent to establish can be considered by the TNPCB," the Board's counsel said.
Concurring, the Bench said NoC from all the appropriate authorities should be obtained prior to seeking TNPCB's nod. 

 The matter was adjourned to November 29.

Shut 900 Illegal Water Units in TN, says TNPCB

‘30% of packaged drinking water units in TN unsafe’

Only 563 Out Of 805 Cleared The Sample Test By Food Safety Dept

Chennai: Think twice before you buy drinking water in a bottle, can or sachet. Only 563 of the 805 packaged water units in Tamil Nadu manufacture clean drinking water, sample tests by the food safety and drug administration department in July, August and September have found. 
    About 242 units, or 30% of the packaged water units in the state, sell water that is unsafe for human consumption, a food safety and drug administration department report submitted to the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal on Monday said. Most of the units in TN are licencees of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). 
    It is to be seen if the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and food safety department act on the erring units. “We await orders from TNPCB to shutdown these units,” a senior food safety department official said. 
    The report says most number of the erring units are in Madurai (34) followed by Ambattur in Chennai (30), Sivaganga (20) and Maraimalai Nagar (19) in Kancheepuram district. “We will abide by the court orders, but we are unhappy with the use of high density poly ethylene containers used for water sample tests,” said V Murali of the Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association. 
    During the last hearing of the NGT Bench, TNPCB had said that none of the packaged water units in the state had consent orders from the state government to establish or operate. And, the water manufacturers had argued that a Madras high court bench in a 2011 order had restrained the government from granting consent to extract groundwater for commercial purposes till the Tamil Nadu Groundwater (Development and Management) Act, 2003 was notified. 
    On Monday, TNPCB counsel Rita Chandrasekar told the NGT bench that Tamil Nadu had promulgated an ordinance last week to repeal the contentious law. The Bench then said the packaged water units in the state should before November 29 apply for no-objection certificates/licence from the PWD, food safety and drug administration department and town and country planning department, before approaching TNPCB for consent to operate.
BUBBLE BURSTS 
    Out of the 967 packaged drinking water units in the state, only 153 have government consent orders to operate 
    Most units are licencees of Bureau of Indian Standards of the Union ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution 
    Water sample tests in 805 private units revealed that only 563 units provide safe drinking water 
Madurai (34) and Ambattur (30) have the most unsafe units. Sivaganga (20) and Maraimalai Nagar (19) follow 
The green tribunal has directed over 1,000 units (including herbal water units) in the state to apply for no objection certificates from government departments before November 29

தமிழகத்தில் 814 கேன் குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் அனுமதி பெறாமல் இயங்குகின்றன பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயத்தில் மாசுக்கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியம் தகவல்

சென்னை, அக்.8-தமிழகத்தில் பாக்கெட் மற்றும் கேன் குடிநீர் உற்பத்தி நிறுவனங்கள், தரமற்ற குடிநீரை விற்பனைசெய்வதாகவும், இதில் பல நிறுவனங்கள் முறையான உரிமங்கள் பெறவில்லை என்றும் பத்திரிகைகளில் செய்தி வெளியானது. இந்த செய்தியின் அடிப்படையில் சென்னையிலுள்ள தென்மாநிலங்களுக்கான தேசிய பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயம் தாமாக முன்வந்து (சூ-மோட்டோ) வழக்கு பதிவு செய்தது.இந்த வழக்கு, பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயத்தின் நீதிபதி எம்.சொக்கலிங்கம், தொழில்நுட்ப வல்லுனர் பேராசிரியர் ஆர்.நாகேந்திரன் ஆகியோர் முன்பு நேற்று விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது. அப்போது, தமிழ்நாடு மாசுக்கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியம் சார்பில் வக்கீல் ரீட்டா சந்திரசேகர் ஒரு அறிக்கை தாக்கல் செய்தார். பின்னர் அவர் கூறியதாவது:-தமிழகத்தில் 967 பாக்கெட் மற்றும் கேன் குடிநீர் உற்பத்தி நிறுவனங்கள் செயல்படுகிறது. இதில் 153 நிறுவனங்கள் மட்டுமே முறையான அனுமதிகளை பெற்றுள்ளது. 814 நிறுவனங்கள் அனுமதி எதுவும் பெறவில்லை. இந்த தீர்ப்பாயத்தின் உத்தரவின்படி, 805 நிறுவனங்கள் உற்பத்தி செய்யும் குடிநீர் பரிசோதனை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. மீதமுள்ள நிறுவனங்கள் இழுத்து மூடப்பட்டுள்ளது.இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.அப்போது, நீதிபதி சொக்கலிங்கம், ‘இந்த விவகாரத்தில் அரசு எந்த விதமான சமரசமும் செய்து ª¢காள்ளக்கூடாது’ என்று கருத்து தெரிவித்தார். பின்னர், வழக்கு விசாரணையை நவம்பர் 29-ந் தேதிக்கு தள்ளிவைத்தார்.

தமிழ்நாடு முழுவதும் 814 தண்ணீர் நிறுவனங்கள் தகுதி சான்று பெற வேண்டும் தேசிய பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயம் உத்தரவு

சென்னை, அக்.8:
தமிழ்நாடு முழுவதும் 967 குடிநீர் விற்பனை நிறுவனங்கள் இயங்கி வருகிறது. அவற்றில் 153 நிறுவனங்கள் மட்டுமே உரிய அனுமதி பெற்றுள்ளது. உரிய அனுமதி இல்லாத மற்ற 814 நிறுவனங்களை ஆய்வு செய்யும்படி, தமிழ்நாடு மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியத்துக்கு, தென்மண்டல தேசிய பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயம் ஏற்கனவே உத்தரவிட்டு இருந்தது.
அதன்படி, 805 நிறுவனங்கள் பற்றிய ஆய்வறிக்கையை மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியம், அரும்பாக்கத்தில் உள்ள தென்மண்டல தேசிய பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயத் தில் நேற்று தாக்கல் செய் தது. இந்த வழக்கு நீதிபதி சொக்கலிங்கம் முன்பு விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது. வழக்கை விசாரித்து நீதிபதி கூறுகையில், “தமிழ்நாடு மாசு கட்டுபாட்டு வாரிய செயல்பாடுகள் திருப்திகரமாக இல்லை. இவ்வளவு வருடங்கள் இந்த நிறுவனங்கள் அனுமதி பெறாமல் இயங்கி வந்துள்ளன. இந்த நிறுவனங்களை இயங்க நீங்கள் எப்படி அனுமதித்தீர்கள் என்று புரியவில்லை. தமிழ்நாடு பேக்கேஜ் டிரிங்கிங் வாட்டர் அசோசியேசன் நிர்வாகிகள், பொதுப்பணித்துறை, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து காட்டுப்பாட்டு துறை, நகர திட்டமிடல் துறை இந்த 3 அமைப்புகளிடம் தகுதி சான்று பெற்றபின், தமிழ்நாடு மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியத்திடம் அனுமதி கோரி 814 நிறுவனங்கள் சார்பில் விண்ணப்பிக்க வேண்டும்“ என்று உத்தரவிட்டார்.
மேலும், இந்த வழக்கில் 29.11.13 அன்று தமிழ்நாடு பேக்கேஜ் டிரிங்கிங் வாட்டர் அசோசியேசன் நிர்வாகிகள் ஆஜராகவேண்டும் என்றும், அதுவரை வழக்கு ஒத்திவைக்கப்படுவதாகவும் நீதிபதி உத்தரவிட்டார்.

தமிழகத்தில் 814 போலி குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள்: மாசுக் கட்டுபாட்டு வாரிய ஆய்வறிக்கையில் தகவல்

தமிழகம் முழுவதும் 814 போலி குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் இயங்குவதாக தமிழ்நாடு மாசுக்கட்டுபாட்டு வாரியம் தகவல் வெளியிட்டுள்ளது.

கேன் குடிநீரின் தரம் குறைவு தொடர்பாக தேசிய பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம் கடந்த சில மாதங்களுக்கு முன்பு தானாக முன் வந்து வழக்கு பதிவு செய்தது. 

இந்த வழக்கு பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாய நீதிபதி எம்.சொக்கலிங்கம் மற்றும் உறுப்பினர் பேராசிரியர் ஆர்.நாகேந்திரன் ஆகியோர் கொண்ட அமர்வு முன்பு திங்கள்கிழமை விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது. கடந்த முறை வழக்கு விசாரணைக்கு வந்த போது தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் குறித்த அறிக்கையை சமர்ப்பிக்காததால் மாசுக்கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரிய உறுப்பினர்கள் நேரில் ஆஜராகி விளக்கம் அளிக்க தேசிய பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம் உத்தரவிட்டதோடு மாசுக்கட்டுபாட்டு வாரியத்தின் செயல்பாடு திருப்திகரமாக இல்லை எனவும் கண்டனம் தெரிவித்தனர். 

அதனைத் தொடர்ந்து திங்கள்கிழமை (அக்.7) ஆஜரான மாசுக்கட்டுப்பாட்டுத் துறையினர் 485 பக்கம் கொண்ட ஆய்வறிக்கையை சமர்ப்பித்தனர்.

 ஆய்வறிக்கையில் தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களின் எண்ணிக்கை, அவற்றின் உரிமம் பெற்றவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை, குடிநீரின் தரம் ஆகிய தகவல்கள் இடம்பெற்றன.

ஆய்வறிக்கையில் உள்ள தகவல்கள்: தமிழகம் முழுவதும் 967 குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் உள்ளன. அதில் 153 நிறுவனங்கள் அனுமதி பெற்று இயங்குகின்றன. 814 நிறுவனங்கள் அனுமதிப் பெறாமல் இயங்கி வருகின்றன. 

805 நிறுவனங்களில் பரிசோதனை மாதிரிகள் எடுக்கப்பட்டன. அதன் முடிவுகளில் "ஏ' பிரிவில் உள்ள 553 நிறுவனங்களின் தண்ணீர் மிக நல்ல முறையில் குடிக்க உகந்த வகையிலும், "பி' பிரிவில் உள்ள 100 நிறுவனங்களின் தண்ணீர் குடிக்க உகந்த வகையிலும், "சி' பிரிவில் உள்ள 27 நிறுவனங்களின் தண்ணீர் குடிக்க இயலாததாகவும், "டி' பிரிவில் உள்ள 115 நிறுவனங்கள் மிகவும் மோசமான குடிக்க இயலாதவை எனவும் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. 

இது குறித்து அதிருப்தி தெரிவித்த நீதிபதிகள் அனுமதி பெறாமல் இயங்கும் குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள், பொதுப்பணித்துறையிடம் நிலத்தடி நீர் எடுக்கலாம் என்ற உரிமத்தையும், உணவுப்பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்துக்கட்டுபாட்டுத் துறையிடம் எடுத்த குடிநீர் தரமாக உள்ளது என்ற அனுமதியையும், நகர் மற்றும் ஊரமைப்புத் துறையிடம் குறிப்பிட்ட இடம் நிறுவனம் அமைக்க ஏற்றது என்ற அனுமதியையும் பெற வேண்டும். இந்த அனுமதிகளை பெற்ற பிறகு தமிழக மாசுக்கட்டுபாட்டு வாரியத்திடம் அனுமதிக்காக நவம்பர் 29-ஆம் தேதிக்குள் விண்ணப்பிக்க வேண்டும் எனவும் உத்தரவிட்டனர். 

 மேலும், இந்த வழக்கினை நவம்பர் 29-ஆம் தேதிக்கு நீதிபதிகள் ஒத்தி வைத்தனர்.

Even branded milk is unsafe

 20 lakh litres of milk is consumed every day.

• Salmonella and e-coli bacteria found in samples collected 

• Supreme Court orders not implemented 

Milk, normally consumed as a healthy drink, could prove to be counterproductive if its purity is compromised. Sadly many people in the city have been unwittingly consuming milk that is not only adulterated, but also contains harmful bacteria. So, we get milk that is suspect in terms of quality, purity and fat content, let alone the quantity of milk that we get in packets. 

The quality of milk is so poor in some cases that its regular consumption could affect digestive system and kidneys.  This means that for the companies their business interests override customer safety. 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), following a survey done in 2011, had warned that 70% of milk sold in the country is adulterated. In the wake of the report, the Supreme Court directed the central government to take strict action against the adulterators and legal changes were effected in 2011. Yet, most of the dairies have continued with their questionable practices, regardless of laws and regulatory authorities.

About 80 lakh people in the city consume 20 lakh litres of milk ever day. This implies that they are also ingesting harmful bacteria which could cause problems to their digestive system and also contribute to consumers developing other diseases in long run. 

Srinivas, a resident of Uppal, approached the Andhra Pradesh Balala Hakkula Sangham (APBHS), complaining that adulterated milk is being sold in the city. The APBHS did independent analysis and found out that some of the milk samples contained harmful bacteria. The APBHS then filed a case with the AP Human Rights Council. 

The council directed the GHMC authorities to look into the issues and take action. Acting on the orders of the Commissioner, Food Safety, the GHMC authorities picked up from various places 30 milk samples representing various brands and sent them to the State Food Laboratory.  The lab found that eight of the samples were unsafe and sub-standard.

Pure milk should not contain bacteria beyond permissible limits, but the samples contained bacteria far beyond permissible limits.  Experts at SFL say that these might have entered the milk through water (a common adulterant). Some of the bacteria found were those that could cause vomiting, diarrhoea and even kidney problems in the long run.

Atchyuta Rao, president of APBHS, told Hyderabad Hans, “We are strongly condemning the sale of sub-standard, unsafe milk of popular brands. We demand that cases be booked against these brands and their products seized as per the Food Safety and Standards Act-2006.”

Food Safety Act not implemented in letter, spirit: High Court

Srinagar, Oct 7: Observing that the provisions of Food Safety Act are not implemented in letter and spirit, the J&K High Court Monday directed the Chief Secretary to take a complete review of the ground realities-- officers performing duties under the act, the method of sampling and further follow up action on the basis misbranded samples.
 The court asked the Chief Secretary to file in this regard a complete comprehensive report within 4 weeks.        
 Passing directions on Public Interest litigation against food adulteration, a division bench of High Court comprising Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar observed the mechanism as unsatisfactory after asking certain questions to Food Safety Officer Islamabad (Anantnag) Sheikh Zamir.
 “We asked him certain questions and the answer given is unsatisfactory and accordingly we direct the Registrar Judicial to record his statement and place it on the record of the case with regard to prevalence of adulteration in the food items in the state” the division bench said.
 The Court said that the mechanism of taking samples by the Food Safety Officers is absolutely unsatisfactory.
 “There is no effective mechanism in place as has been disclosed by food safety officer Anantnag for confiscating the adulterated food if found inconsumable. The provisions of food safety have not been implemented in letter and spirit” the court held.
 The court termed the status report filed by Special Secretary Health and Medical Education department in compliance of previous directions as far from satisfactory. 
 “The issue which has attracted our attention is that the designated officers within the meaning of Food Safety Act have not been appointed and according to the provisions, the designated officer has to be whole time officer not below the rank of sub divisional officer or equivalent” the court said.
 After Senior Advocate General, J A Kawoosa pleaded that the present Health Officer SMC has been discharging the duties as designated officer, the court said the officer may or may not answer the qualification given in the act attests the fact that the act is observed in breach.
 “It appears that our earlier observations that the provisions of the act and rules are observed in breach rather in compliance is fortified at the hearing today” the court said.
 The court held that there is complete go by to the provisions of act and the rules saying the same has been revealed to the court  by the procedure adopted for checking, taking samples and testing in respect of the food item which has been found misbranded.
 Advocates Sheikh Auoub and Tasaduq khaja pleaded the case as petitioners.

No proper mechanism in J&K to check food adulteration: HC

‘Complete go-bye to provisions of Act, Designated Officers not appointed’

JAMMU, Oct 7: Notwithstanding widespread complaints of food adulteration, there is no proper mechanism in Jammu and Kashmir to check the menace and authorities concerned have given complete go-bye to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011.
This has been observed by the Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate Sheikh Muhammad Ayoub before the Srinagar Wing of the High Court seeking implementation of the Food Safety and Standard Act and Rules.
“The mechanism of taking sample(s) by the Food Safety Officers in the State is absolutely un-satisfactory”, the DB remarked in the order written by the Chief Justice M M Kumar after going through the latest status report filed in compliance to its earlier directions dated August 22, 2013.
“The Designated Officers within the meaning of Rule 2.1.2 of the Food Safety and Standard Rules, 2011 have not been appointed”, DB observed.
According to the provisions, a Designated Officer has to be a whole time officer not below the rank of Sub-Divisional Officer or equivalent. He must possess minimum of Bachelor’s Degree in Science with Chemistry as one of the subjects or at least one of the educational qualifications prescribed for the Food Safety Officer. Moreover, he is also required to undergo training within a period of six months from the date of his appointment as Designated Officer.
“However, Health Officers of the Municipal Corporations are discharging the duties of Designated Officers like in the case of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, who may or may not answer the qualifications given in the rules”, the DB said, adding “it appears that our earlier observations that the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 are observed in breach rather than in compliance stands fortified”.
Stating that there is complete go-bye to the provisions of the Act and the Rules as has been revealed by the procedure adopted for taking sample(s) and testing of the stock in respect of food which has been found misbranded/adulterated, the DB said, “there is no effective mechanism in place for confiscating the adulterated foods, which after testing have been found non-consumable”, adding “the provisions of the Act and the Rules have not been implemented in letter and spirit”.
Keeping in view the slackness in the implementation of the Act, the DB has directed the Chief Secretary to take a complete review of the ground realities, officers performing the duties under the Act, method of sampling, testing and further follow up action on the basis of misbranded samples.
“A complete and comprehensive report be submitted to the Court showing compliance of the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 along with the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 within a period of four weeks”, the DB directed the State.
It is pertinent to mention here that in its earlier status report the Government had mentioned that Controller (Drug and Food Control Organization), who was also appointed Commissioner Food Safety J&K, has now been replaced by Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department as Commissioner in addition to his own duties.
The Government expressed its inability to appoint an independent officer as Food Safety Commissioner viewing that there were number of issues common under the Food Safety Act and the Rules within the Health Department. With regard to Food Safety Tribunal replacing the mechanism adopted by the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1994, the Government stated that the matter was taken up with Finance Department for creation of post of Presiding Officer of the rank of District and Sessions Judge with the allied staff and the same was under active consideration of the Government.

Our directions on implementation of FSSA observed in breach: HC

Directs CS to take review of ground realities after FSO spill the beans

Srinagar: Observing that its orders on implementation of Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 (FSSA) to check food adulteration have been observed in breach, Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday directed Chief Secretary Chief Secretary to take a complete review of the ground realities in the state. 
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation, a bench of Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Muzzafar Hussain Attar found a status report filed by Special Secretary Health and Medical Education Department in pursuance to August 22 directions “far from satisfactory.”
“The mechanism of taking samples by the Food Safety Officers is absolutely unsatisfactory as is revealed before us by Sheikh Zameer, Food Safety Officer Anantnag,” the bench said, adding, “We have asked him certain questions and the answer given is much to desire. Accordingly we direct Registrar Judicial to record his statement and place it on the record of the case with regard to prevalence of adulteration in the food items in the state.”    
The Food Officer Anantnag revealed before the court that there is no effective mechanism to check the adulterated food items in the state.
The issue which has attracted the attention of the court, bench said, is that the Designated Officer within the meaning of Food Safety Act has not been appointed and according to the provisions, the designated officer has to be whole time officer not below the rank of sub divisional officer or equivalent.
According to Senior Additional Advocate General, J A Kawoosa, presently Health Officer SMC has been discharging the duties of designated officer “who may or may not answer the qualification given in the Act.”
“It appears that our earlier observations that the provisions of the Act and Rules are observed in breach rather in compliance as fortified at the hearing today,” the court said, adding, “There is complete go by to the provisions of Act and the rules as has been revealed before us by the procedure adopted for taking samples, checking, testing and stock in respect of the food item which has been found misbranded.”
There is no effective mechanism is place as been disclosed by food safety officer Anantnag for confiscating the adulterated food if found inconsumable, the court said.
“The provisions of Food Safety Act have not been implemented in letter and spirit and accordingly we direct the Chief Secretary to take a complete review of the ground realities, officer performing duties under the Act, the method of sampling and further follow up action on the basis misbranded samples,” the court said, asking government to file a complete comprehensive report be submitted within 4 weeks.
The court was hearing a PIL—Sheikh Ayoub Vs State— seeking implementation of Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 (FSSA) to check food adulteration in the state.  
While Senior Additional Advocate General J A Kawoosa defended the state, the petitioner was present in person along with advocate Tasaduq Khawaja.

Industry welcomes dismissal of PILs demanding ban on PET

Last Updated: Monday, October 07, 2013, 17:56 Mumbai: The PET industry has welcomed the dismissal of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) demanding ban on use of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) - the transparent inert universally food contact approved material - as a packaging material.
The latest September 2013 order by Hyderabad High Court has provided relief not only to beverages industry but also to the profound PET user industries such as pharmaceutical products, drinking water, edible oil, milk, spices, honey, ketchup, pickles, confectioneries, etc, an industry official said.
Various NGOs have filed PILs in various high courts since around January 2013 demanding ban on PET as a packaging material for beverages. The Court orders have falsified all claims in the PIL that PET is not an inert and it contaminates the beverages, PET causes environmental hazards, etc.
The courts have taken cognisance of various documents like Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) - conforming PET as a safe material for use, The Food Safety Act (FSA) provision - use of packaging materials which conforms to BIS standards are approved for use in India for said purpose, results of the tests conducted by the Government Laboratories certified that PET conforms to BIS/FDA norms before rejecting all the PILs, the official said.
Also, the court has taken into consideration the fact that used empty PET bottles are recycled back to make value added textile products in India and it is not environmental hazard as was claimed in the PILs.
The claims in the PIL were dismissed by the virtue of orders passed by High Courts of Andhra Pradesh (PIL No. 44 of 2013), Uttar Pradesh (PIL No. 54857 of 2012), Madhya Pradesh (PIL No. 2509 of 2013), Punjab and Haryana (PIL No. 2518-2013) and Karnataka (PIL No.12847/2013).
All the PILs stand dismissed by the court orders. The Hyderabad High Court order is the last in the series.
PET is one of the most sought after and the fastest growing durable packaging material in the world with consumption of almost 200 lakh tonnes globally for rigid packaging.