உணவகங்கள், கடைகள் உரிமம் பெற வரும் 4ம் தேதி கடைசி நாள் மீறினால் ரூ.5 லட்சம் அபராதம்

தர்மபுரி,பிப்.1:

உணவு வர்த்தகத்தில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ள அனைத்து உணவகங்கள் மற்றும் கடைகள் பதிவு சான்றிதழ், உரிமம் பெறுவதற்கு பிப்ரவரி 4ம் தேதியோடு காலக்கெடு முடிக்கிறது. தர்மபுரி மாவட்டத்தில் உரிமம் பெறாத நிறுவனங்களுக்கு ரூ.5 லட்சம் அபராதம் மற்றும் 6 மாத சிறை தண்டனை விதிக்கப்படும் என தர்மபுரி மாவட்ட தமிழ்நாடு உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை எச்சரித்துள்ளது. 

இதுகுறித்து தர்மபுரி மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை நியமன அலுவலர் டாக்டர் தினேஷ் கூறியதாவது: இந்திய உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணய சட்டம் நாடு முழுவதும் 2011ம் ஆண்டு ஆகஸ்ட் 5ம் தேதி அமலுக்கு வந்தது. நுகர்வோருக்கு, கலப்படமற்ற, சுகாதாரமான உணவு வழங்குவது இச்சட்டத்தின் நோக்கம். உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தின் கீழ், உணவு வர்த்தகத்தில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ள சிறு, பெரு வணிகர்கள் அந்தந்த மாவட்ட உணவுப் பாது காப்பு நியமன அலுவலரிடம் பதிவு செய்து, லைசென்ஸ் பெறுவது கட்டாயம். 

இந்நிலையில் இந்த சட்டத்தை எதிர்த்து கடந்தாண்டு வணிகர்கள் நீதிமன்றத்தில் வழக்கு தொடர்ந்தனர். அந்த வழக்கில் நீதிமன்றம் ஒரு ஆண்டுக்குள் உணவகங்கள் மற்றும் கடைகள் பதிவு சான்றிதழ் மற்றும் உரிமம் பெறவேண்டும் என்று உத்தரவிட்டது. 

இதன்படி, தமிழகம் முழுவதும் பல ஆயிரம் வணிகர்கள் பதிவு சான்றிதழ் மற்றும் உரிமம் பெற்று வருகின்றனர். இந்த உரிமம் பெற வரும் பிப்ரவரி 4ம் தேதி கடைசி நாளாகும். தர்மபுரி மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள உணவு தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்கள், பேக்கரிகள், சாலையோர தள்ளுவண்டி கடைகள், பால்காரர்கள், இறைச்சி விற்பனையாளர்கள், பள்ளி, கல்லூரி உணவு விடுதிகள், சமையல் காண்ட்ராக்டர்கள், திருமண மண்டபங்கள், ஹோட்டல்கள், மளிகை கடைகள் உள்ளிட்ட உணவு பொருள் தயாரிப்பு மற்றும் சாப்பிடும் நிலை வரை உள்ள அனைத்து உணவு வணிகர்களும் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலரிடம் பதிவு செய்து கொள்ள வேண்டும். 

தர்மபுரி மாவட்டத்தில் மொத்தம் 2 ஆயிரத்திற்கும் மேற்பட்ட உணவகங்கள் உள்ளன. ஆண்டுக்கு ரூ.12 லட்சத்துக்கு மேல் வர்த்தகம் செய்வோர், மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலரிடம் லைசன்ஸ் பெற வேண்டும். அதற்கு குறைவாக வியாபாரம் உள்ள வணிகர்கள், தாங்கள் தொழில் நடத்துவது குறித்து பதிவு செய்தால் மட்டும் போதுமானது. இவர்கள், லைசென்ஸ் பெற தேவையில்லை. உணவு நிறுவனங்களை பதிவு செய்ய ரூ.100ம், உரிமம் பெற ரூ. 2 ஆயிரமும் கட்டணம் செலுத்த வேண்டும். 

தர்மபுரி மாவட்டத்தில் உணவு வர்த்தகத்தில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ள அனைவரும் வரும் பிப்ரவரி 4ம் தேதிக்குள் நியமன அலுவலர் அல்லது அந்தந்த வட்டாரத்தில் உள்ள பொறுப்பு அலுவலரிடம் பதிவு சான்றிதழ், உரிமம் பெற வேண்டும். பதிவு சான்றிதழ் மற்றும் உரிமம் பெறாமல் உணவு வணிகத்தில் ஈடுபடுவோருக்கு 6 மாதம் சிறை தண்டனை மற்றும் ரூ.5 லட்சம் வரை அபராதம் விதிக்கப்படும். 

இவ்வாறு நியமன அலுவலர் டாக்டர் தினேஷ் கூறினார். 

உரிமம் பெறும் இடங்கள் 

தமிழ்நாடு உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத்துறை மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர் அலுவலகம், அரசு மருத்துவமனை பின்புறம் வெண்ணாம்பட்டி ரோட்டில் உள்ள மருந்து குடோன் வளாகத்தில் செயல்பட்டு வருகிறது. இந்த அலுவலகத்தை 04342&230385, 94439&25926 என்ற எண்ணில் தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம். தர்மபுரி நகராட்சி: 97886&77771, தர்மபுரி ஒன்றியம்: 94425&46733, நல்லம்பள்ளி 94430&54715, காரிமங்கலம்; 94439&82426, பாலக்கோடு: 94867&10983, மொரப்பூர்: 94425&22681, அரூர், பாப்பிரெட்டிபட்டி: 94890&26252, பென்னாகரம்: 91507&45339 உள்ளிட்ட 8 ஒன்றியங்களிலும் சம்பந்தப்பட்ட எண்களில் உரிமம் மற்றும் பதிவு சான்றிதழ் பெற தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம்.

Roadside eateries to register with food safety department by February 4

CHENNAI: Street food may be off the streets soon with the Food Safety and Drug Administration department asking all food vendors and roadside eateries to register with them by February 4. 

Food safety officials launched a spot registration drive in Anna Nagar on Thursday to bring food vendors, including restaurants, roadside eateries, tea shops, juice shops and vegetable and fruit vendors, under the purview of Food Safety and Standards Act. 

District food safety officer S Lakshmi Narayan said close to 200 vendors in Anna Nagar were registered on Thursday. "We have conducted awareness programmes about the provisions of the act and instructed vendors to keep their premises clean. We plan to conduct similar camps in Tondiarpet, Sowcarpet, Velachery and Adyar," he said. Hotel or eatery owners can call 8682868400 for details about registration.

As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, a licence is compulsory to run any food business with an annual turnover of more than 12 lakh. Those with a lower turnover must mandatorily register with the department. Less than 10,000 of the 23,000 identified food vendors in the city have enrolled with the department. 

Vendors who fail to register may have to shut shop, pay fines ranging from 25,000 to 10 lakh or face imprisonment up to six months. Many vendors complain that enrollment under the act is a cumbersome procedure. 

K T Srinivasa Raja, president of Chennai Hotels Association, said they have sought an extension of the deadline. "The stringent punishment for minor violations should be removed from the act as it would adversely affect the hotel industry," he said.

EVEN WEDDING NEEDS TO COMPLY WITH FOOD SAFETY ACT AFTER 4TH FEBRUARY

There is much hue and cry across the Country among trading community on account of The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2011 as the last date for obtaining Registration of Food Business Operators under the said Act is 4th February, 2014 and the traders feel that the provisions of the Act are such that no trader in the Country will be able to comply the provisions. Interestingly, the Act is applicable not only on the traders but has wider implications even on a common man as wherever the food items are served for profit or even for non-profit motive which includes even religious places like Temples, Gurudwara, Wedding or any other social function, meetings, Conferences, Seminars etc. Further, Mahila Grah Udyog, Cottage and Rural Industry, Self Employed Persons, Fishermen, Roadside Vendors, Hawkers, small and medium restaurants and food places, farmers, tribal groups, Honey Bee Collectors, slaughter Houses, small traders, traditional Halwais and even the social service schemes like Mid Day Meals etc of the Government will be under the purview of the Act. Even the enterprises involved in processing, packing, storage, distribution, imports or transportation will be liable to comply the provisions of the Act. 

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), apex body of the trading community has already submitted a detailed representation to Union Health Minister Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad during a meeting with him on 14th January, 2014. Though Mr. Azad has assured the CAIT to defer the Act and to constitute a Joint Committee of senior Officials and CAIT representatives but in the absence of any notification of deferment so far, there is much panic among trading community of the Country since continuation of food trade without Registration will attract fine of Rs. 5 lakh and imprisonment for six months.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Smt. Sushma Swaraj and Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Chairman, Public Accounts Committee of Lok Sabha has already sent communications to Mr. Azad supporting the demand of deferment of the Act raised by CAIT. Union Law Minister Shri Kapil Sibal in a deliberation held today with CAIT leaders informed that he has extensively discussed the issue with union Health Minister Shri Gulam Nabi Azad who is convinced that the Act needs a re-look raised by CAIT, the Government will take necessary steps soon.

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 was introduced by replacing the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 and the Rules and Regulations for the said Act were made applicable on 5th August, 2011. CAIT National President Mr. B. C. Bhartia and Secretary General Mr. Praveen Khandelwal said that the Act and the Rules and Regulations are arbitrary and put unreasonable restrictions and there is no rational between the Rules and Regulations and the objects to be achieved. The Act permits Adulteration under the guise of “mis-branded”. The standard of agriculture produce cannot be uniform throughout the Country since the quality of agriculture produce depends on water use, fertility on soil, fertilizer and pesticides use, climatic conditions etc. Moreover, even the Government infrastructure to apply the Act including Testing Laboratories which is mandatory is not adequate. The Act has given discretionary powers to Authorities which will culminate into harassment and extortion.

Both Mr. Bhartia and Mr. Khandelwal said that even for the lapses of the Government Agencies which are unable to maintain proper cleanliness in public areas, the food business operator will be penalized.” It is a mockery and an attempt to handover the food business in the Country to Multinational Companies “–said the trade leaders.

HC refuses to vacate stay on food safety regulations

The Karnataka High Court on Friday refused to vacate the stay on implementation of the regulations and some of the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.

Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda refused to vacate the stay order when the counsel for the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) requested to lift the stay while pointing out that the provisions would become operational from February 4, which is the last day for the food business operators across the country to obtain licences under the new law.

The counsel also pointed out that the other High Courts, which had earlier stayed the regulations, have already vacated the stay orders and now only in Karnataka, the implementation of regulations has been put on hold due to stay order by the court.

However, Justice Gowda refused to alter the interim order till final order is passed on the petition, filed by the Karnataka Pradesh Hotels and Restaurants’ Association. Claiming that the new law would affect Indian traditional culinary ways, the association said it had been drafted keeping in mind the “four bread and dozen dressing” food style of the west. The new law replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.

GMC considers issuing food licenses in residential areas

AHMEDABAD: Even though food licenses have been made mandatory for all eateries as per the Food Safety Act, Gandhinagar is the only municipal corporation that allows eateries to function in residential areas without these licenses. Interestingly, till date there has not been any effort in the capital city to monitor food licences in such areas. 

What the eateries would show you is the copy of the commercial tax permits that have been issued to them. "We do not have a food laboratory of our own. The food and drugs laboratory of the state is where any food that has questionable quality is sent for tests. The municipal corporation is yet to get its own food safety laboratory," says a senior official at GMC 

The official adds, "A representation from Gandhinagar Snack vendors association was accepted by the GMC and soon procedures to issue licenses may be taken up." 

Gandhinagar was declared a municipal corporation on March 2010 and got its first elected municipal corporation council in April 2011 and since then it has a meager budget. While essential civic services like drainage, water supply and roads are still handled by the notified authority—which functions under the roads and building department, the GMC just handled the sanitary department.

HC directs Khyber, Kanwal, Avon to deposit Rs 10 cr within 7 days

Cos get fresh notices for depositing further Rs 10 Cr each  

Srinagar, Jan 31: Jammu and Kashmir High Court today directed Khyber, manufacturers of tonned milk, Kanwal Agro Food Industry and 'AVON Agro Industries Pvt Ltd', a New Delhi based company to deposit within seven days Rs 10 crore each with Director SKIMS.

Besides, a Division Bench comprising Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Justice Tashi Rabstan also issued a notice to all the three companies to show-cause as to why, besides initial direction for depositing Rs. 10 crore each, they shall not be directed to deposit further Rs. 10 crore each in view of the report of the Director SKIMS, revealing deceases that can be caused by the material found in the adulterated brands of the companies.

The parties have also been asked to file undertaking before the Registrar Judicial within 7 days to the effect that they will not sell the products in dispute.

Besides, the court directed the Deputy Commissioners across the State to ensure that adulterated food items are not sold in the market in their respective districts.

The December 23 directions were issued by the bench after perusing documents submitted by Deputy Commissioner Food Safety Kashmir. 

The documents revealed that as per reports from Central Food Laboratory, Kolkata, tonned Khyber Milk (lot no. MD E S P 17), turmeric powder which is manufactured by AVON Agro Industries and saunf powder manufactured and marketed by Kanwal (batch-P21/B6) were found unsafe for human consumption.

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.

The order had come following a report by Central Food Laboratory Kolkata which found samples of some of the products manufactured by the companies as "misbranded, substandard and unsafe."

The laboratory report had revealed that a batch of toned Khyber milk manufactured in July was found to be unsafe, misbranded and substandard. The report also suggested that detergents were also found in the sample of the milk.

The laboratory had also declared unsafe the turmeric powder manufactured by Delhi-based AVON Agro Industries Private Limited because one of its samples showed the presence of Tartrazine (a colouring matter which can be cause of subjecting a consumer to fatal diseases).

Similarly, the laboratory had found Carmoisine and Tartrazine in samples of a 'saunf' (fennel seeds) powder processed and sold by south Kashmir based Kanwal Agro food industries and it was also declared to be "unsafe".

Exemption in purchase of loose edible oils extended for one year

BHOPAL: Ahead of the implementation of food security act from Tuesday, Madhya Pradesh government once again extended its exemption on purchase of loose edible oils for a year. 

A government press release said it was for the convenience of poor people, specially daily earners and labourers, the state government 

It said, the state government has taken this decision in public interest in exercise of the power conferred by Food Security and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011. 

It is noteworthy that poor people of the state still purchase loose edible oils out of the payment of wages on daily basis. Common man specially those belonging to labour class cannot purchase packed oil. Therefore, prohibition on sale of loose oil shall make their lives troublesome. The period has been extended in view of this, according to a press release. 

Last year, after getting the notification from the health ministry, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had further extended the licensing and registration deadline for Food Business Operators (FBOs) to February 4, 2014. It was the third time the country's apex food regulator has granted an extension to FBOs.

State govt requests to reconsider FSSA provisions

INDORE: The state government has written to the Prime Minister to urgently convene a meeting of all chief ministers to ascertain their views regarding implementation of provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has sought indulgence in keeping the implementation of the provisions of the Act under abeyance till the issues are fully resolved. 

Chouhan said that provisions of the Act need reconsideration as they are impractical and cannot be implemented. Small business operators have been adversely hit on account of the stringent provisions of the Act. Unable to cope with the high benchmarks prescribed, which in some cases are impractical, most will be forced to close their businesses. 

The stipulated deadline of February 4, 2014 is fixed for registration and issue of licenses to all FBOs. Madhya Pradesh has approximately 7 lakh FBOs. Referring to the previous letter of March 30, 2012, the state government has requested to reconsider the provisions as they relate to larger FBOs and to very poor and petty FBOs like street hawkers and road side vendors.

UP government admits most milk from the state is contaminated

Is a fresh glass of milk your way of living healthily ?

You may want to think again if your milk is finding its way to Delhi from Uttar Pradesh, as a large portion of it is a toxic cocktail of white paint, caustic soda, detergent, shampoo, urea, starch and blotting paper that is harmful for the heart, lungs, liver - and can even cause cancer.

In a startling admission, the UP government has told the Supreme Court that adulteration of milk was rampant in the state and confessed that it has failed to take effective steps to curb it.

In an affidavit filed in court, which is hearing a PIL on the issue, Vijay Bahadur, UP government's food safety assistant commissioner, said the menace was most rampant during festival seasons when the demand peaks.

It said that out of the 4,503 samples collected between January 2012 and May 2013, 1,280 were found to be adulterated with detergent, starch, carbohydrate and whitener.

Another 613 samples were collected after August 2013 till now, out of which 207 were found adulterated.

The affidavit said cases of adulteration were most acute in Faizabad, Moradabad, Agra and Saharanpur.

The court will be taking up UP's affidavit for hearing on Thursday.

Make milk adulteration punishable upto life imprisonment: SC

A bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan said that the issue is very "serious" and asked the govts to take immediate steps to control the menace

NEW DELHI: The Supreme court today expressed concern over milk adulteration in the country and sought response from all the states on providing harsher punishment of life imprisonment to people indulging in production and marketing of spurious milk. 

A bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan said that the issue is very "serious" and asked the governments to take immediate steps to control the menace of milk adulteration. 

It sought detailed affidavits from all the state governments on what steps they are taking to tackle the issue of adulteration and on amendment in law to make the offence punishable upto life imprisonment as has been done by Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha. 

The bench also pulled up the UP government for not prosecuting people indulging in milk adulteration under the stringent provision and sought details of the pending cases on the issue in the state. 

The bench granted three weeks time to states to file their responses. 

The bench was hearing Public Interest Litigation seeking its direction to state governments to stop practice of milk adulteration which is rampant in various states. 

Advocate Anurag Tomar, appearing for the petitioners, contended that milk contaminated with synthetic material is being sold in various states particularly in northern states posing serious threat to the life and health of the consumers. 

He submitted that samples collected by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in 2011 showed that there was largescale sale of adulterated milk across the country.