Jammu, August 5
Facing countrywide opposition against the amended Food Safety Act-2006, the Union Health Ministry has extended the date of renewal of licence till February 4, 2015. The process was to be completed by last year, but was marred by controversy leading to slowdown in the process across the country, including Jammu and Kashmir.
Under this Food Safety Act, every food business retailer or manufacturer has to register himself with the licensing or registering authority. The Act says that even petty manufacturer shall follow the basic hygiene and safety requirements provided by these regulations.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Jammu, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), apex body of the trading community of the country, and other trader bodies across the country have been pursuing the issue with the Central Government for the last over two years.
President of the CCI (Jammu) Rakesh Gupta said, “It is a big relief to traders and citizens of the state as it would have harmed the small traders involved in the food business. Leaders of the traders’ union said under the provisions of the Act not only the persons engaged in the food business will be required to obtain registration, but also it will be required for any social function where any kind of food articles are served.”
The petty food business operators include small retailer, roadside food vendors, hawkers, stall holders, cottage industries relating to food business, meat/mutton/poultry business operators with the slaughtering capacity of two large animals or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds per day.
The Act says that the food manufacturer has to ensure that his premises is free from the growth of mould, fungi and infection; workers should wear clean aprons, hand gloves, headgears and keep their nails trimmed; clean and wash their hands with soap and detergent before commencing their work.
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