40% food business operators in districtunregistered, 10% have no licence

PUNE: About 40% of food business operators in Pune district run their establishments without seeking the mandatory registration from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This was revealed in the third review meeting of the district-level advisory committee on March 3.

"Despite investing efforts to bring all food business operators on FDA's surveillance radar by registering them or allotting licences, there are a considerable number of food businesses yet to seek registration or licence from us. About 40% food business operators in Pune district have still not sought registration and 10% have not obtained the licence which is unlawful and can attract stringent action," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune

The committee takes a review of licences and registration granted to food business operators like big hoteliers, small canteens, roadside vendors, wholesellers, retailers, stockists and food item sellers including grocers. All these outlets essentially need a licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006.

Food operators with an annual turnover of above Rs 12 lakh must have a licence and those who earn less than Rs 12 lakh a year should get a registration certificate, as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

A district-level advisory committee has been formed with the collector as its head, to assist local FDA officials to effectively implement the Act, Kekare said.

The committee meets periodically to evaluate glitches and suggest solutions to ensure 100% implementation of food safety norms.

Besides the district collector, the committee has the chief executive officer of Zilla Parishad, dean of B J Medical College, district health officer (DHO) and DSP (rural) as its members.

"We have initiated multi-pronged approached like special drives and spot registration drive to rope in as many food business operators as possible. We are going to further strengthen our efforts," Kekare said.

Pesticides in Veggies: HC Terms It Alarming, Seeks Action

The Delhi High Court today termed as "alarming" the findings of an expert committee on the status of pesticide residues in food commodities and said almost entire 1.75 crore Delhiites eat fruits and vegetables which are not fit for human consumption.

The bench, headed by acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed, asked Delhi government to set up within four weeks a "Pesticide Residue Management Cell (PRMC)" under the control of the Food Commissioner for effective handling of the issue.

"This is an alarming situation. We, including the committee members who prepared the report, are consuming pesticides," the bench, also comprising Justice Siddharth Mridul, said.

It asked the city government and the Union Agriculture Ministry to take long and short-terms measures to minimise the harm and make people aware about the "ways and means" to deal with the situation.

"However, there are short-term measures (suggested by the expert body) to minimise the presence of banned pesticides residue in the fruits, cereals, vegetables and other eatables.

"The ways and means need to be translated in Hindi, Gurumukhi and Urdu and circulated and publicised in Delhi at various places including bus stands, railway stations and vegetable vending sites so that public is educated to handle the pesticide issue," it said, adding the report of the panel be also posted on government websites.

The bench, which fixed the matter for hearing on April 15, asked Delhi and the Centre to file separate status reports regarding the actions taken by them on the issue.

It also asked Delhi government to conduct periodic checks of vegetables and fruits after collecting from different places in the city so that it can ascertain whether the presence of pesticide was rising or diminishing.

"During the period of April 2011 to March 2012, samples of vegetables, fruits, spices, cereals. And ground water were collected and analysed for the possible presence of pesticides ... A total of 16, 948 samples have been analysed. Out of which 290 (1.7 per cent) samples were found above maximum residue limit (MRL) as prescribed under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act," the report had said.

During the hearing, the court criticised the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) saying it was doing the job which should have been done by FSSAI.

Earlier, the court was told by the amicus curiae that the Centre and Delhi government have failed to address the issue.

It had also impleaded as parties the ministries of Agriculture, Chemicals and Fertilisers, Science and Technology, Environment and Forests and Health and Family Welfare and Delhi government's department of Food Safety.

The court had in May last year asked the Delhi and central government to carry out "surprise" inspections in fruits and vegetables markets.

Earlier, taking suo motu cognisance of a media report, the court had directed the ministry to set up a committee and frame guidelines to prevent use of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables.

The Centre had constituted the committee comprising experts and the government officials but the guidelines are yet to be framed.

The move had come after some NGOs submitted survey reports that vegetables and fruits sold in the city's markets contain poisons capable of causing cancer and harming the nervous system and liver.

The NGO Consumer Voice, one of the petitioners in the court, said the quantum of pesticides in fruits and vegetables in India, especially those sold in Delhi markets, was as much as 750 times the European standards.

The NGO claimed that of the five internationally banned pesticides, four were found to be common in vegetables sold here. They included a central nervous system toxin endrin which causes nausea and dizziness and heptachlor that can damage the liver and decrease fertility.

Inform Delhi residents about pesticide minimizing measures: HC

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday directed the city government to inform citizens on short-term measures to minimise the presence of pesticides in fruits and vegetables before consumption.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Siddharth Mridul ordered the authorities to widely publicise the recommendations of an expert committee, which had suggested various ways and means for consumers to clean the vegetables and fruits to bring down level of pesticides in food items.

The reports of expert committee pointed out the high content of pesticide residue in vegetables and fruits sold across the capital and also the government's inability to check the poisonous trend.

The court remarking the authorities, including the Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), have failed in their duty to protect the consumers against the harmful pesticides, ordered that periodic sample testing should be done in the city and reports submitted to it.

The bench also directed the Delhi government to set up a Pesticide Residue Management Cell (PRMC) under the control of food commissioner of the state which will be responsible for handling issues related to pesticide residue in food articles.

Fine imposed on defaulters in Kishtwar

KISHTWAR, Mar 5: A team comprising of Tehsildar Kishtwar, Sanitary Inspector Municipality Committee Kishtwar, Asstt. Drug Food Controller Kishtwar, TSO and Food Safety Officer Kishtwar jointly conducted checking of markets in Kishtwar. During the checking the team destroyed some rotten vegetables, fruits and other eatables in the market and imposed a fine of Rs. 2150 on the defaulters during the checking. Strict instructions have been given to the defaulters to maintain hygiene in their shops especially to the meat sellers and other vendors.