Mineral water unit in Madurai sealed

An officer inspecting a mineral water unit near Melur in Madurai district on Saturday.

Food Safety and Drug Administration Department officials sealed a mineral water unit in Madurai district on Saturday for the third time in the past two weeks for functioning without an ISI certification.

Authorities cracked the whip on Al-Cherry Aqua, located at Sathiyapuram near Melur, for the third time following complaints that it continued to function by breaking open the sealed unit unlawfully. According to J. Suguna, Designated Officer for Food Safety and Drug Administration, Al-Cherry Aqua was one among the 24 “herbal water” manufacturing units in Madurai. “Herbal water units did not require ISI certification previously. Around a year ago, the Green Tribunal ordered closure of all mineral water units, including herbal water units, if they did not obtain ISI certification,” Dr. Suguna said.

Following the order, a few herbal water units in the city obtained ISI certification and continued manufacturing mineral water; some supplied water in tankers and the rest closed operation, she added.

However, Al-Cherry Aqua continued its business as a mineral water manufacturing unit without ISI certification. Every time the authorities sealed the unit, the proprietors reportedly broke open the seal and functioned after midnight on the sly. “We received a complaint after we sealed the unit last week for the second time that it has started functioning again. Thereafter, we planned a surprise inspection,” she said.

Drive against erring food business operators from July 1 in Karnataka

It will focus on packaged water, milk, meat stalls and small food units

Did you know that if a shop or a manufacturer sells you a food product that lacks the prescribed standards, they can be fined up to Rs. 5 lakh?

They can also be made to cough up a penalty of up to Rs. 10 lakh if their products are adulterated or if they are misleading people through wrong advertisements. They may also attract huge penalty if their products are either made or sold under unhygienic conditions or they provide wrong information about ingredients.

These provisions have been made in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. All that the consumers need to do is lodge a complaint with the Food Safety Commissioner either in person or over phone.

Food Safety Commissioner S.N. Jairam told reporters here on Saturday that the government would launch a Statewide drive from July 1 against erring food business operators.

Though hotels too were controlled by this Act, the drive was not focussing on them for now as there was a case in this regard before the court, he said.He said August 4 was the last date for food business operators to register themselves and get licence. Violators could face imprisonment of six months and penalty of Rs. 5 lakh. Of the nearly 4 lakh food business operators in the State, only 1.3 lakh had registered themselves so far. There is provision for online registration as well. Consumers who have complaints can call toll-free number 180042513825 from July 1.

Registration is mandatory for food outlets from Aug 4

The food services industry will come under close scrutiny in the coming days with the State government set to enforce the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) from August 4 this year. 

Under the new regime, the food service industries and outlets will have to compulsorily register themselves with the Health department and obtain licence to continue with their business. Food business operators with an annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh will have to register themselves with the food safety wing of the Health department on payment of a fee of Rs 100.

The licence fee for operators with an annual turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh varies between Rs 2,000 and Rs 5,000. The fee can be paid at any branch of the Syndicate Bank across the State.

“We are also planning to set up a separate division for Food Safety under the Health Department by deputing more inspectors and officers.

At present ,we have 118 officials across the State, with a sanctioned strength of 400 personnel, to bring the Act into force,” said Commissioner for Food Safety, Jayaram. 

He said that food service providers who do not obtain a licence under FSSA will be shut down after August 4. A drive will be launched in July to ensure that the law is followed in letter and spirit.

Hotels approach court

The commissioner said that barring hotels, which have moved the High Court, other establishments dealing with food and food products will be inspected to ensure strict compliance. Foodmarts, shopping malls, street vendors and packaged drinking water plants also come under the purview of the Act.

It has been estimated that there are around four lakh establishments in Karnataka which deal with food and food products. However, no such statistics are available on street vendors. Jayaram said that he would ask the commissioners of city municipalities/corporations across the State on getting details of street vendors to that licences could be issued to them also.

The Act will also apply to mutton and chicken stalls. Accordingly, they are prohibited from displaying the caracass of the butchered animals in front of their shops. They will have to install a cabinet for displaying meat products, by July 1. Bangalore has around 1,800 mutton and chicken stalls.

Enforcement of Food Safety Act from Aug

BANGALORE: The food service industries will have to compulsorily register themselves with the Health Department and seek licence to conduct their businesses as per the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), Commissioner for Food Safety S N Jayaram said.

He said the Act will be strictly implemented August 4. Jayaram said the government will launch a drive from next month to ensure that the Act is in effect from August. “We will close down the eateries which fail to get licence from the Food Safety Wing of the Health Department,” he added.

He said plans are on to set up a separate division for food safety under the department by posting Additional Food Safety Inspectors and officers. “The meat shop owners should not hang carcasses in front of their shops, but should have a display cabinet to protect the meat from dust and unhygienic conditions inside their premises. Every shop should have the display cabinet before July 1, he said.

Jayaram said a board containing the details of officials, their addresses and telephone numbers for helping people reach them in case of adulteration or poor quality of food should be placed in front of all eateries.

A toll-free number 1800-425-13825 will become operational from July 1 for people to register their complaints.

The website of the food safety wing: www.foodsafety.kar.nic.in and the official email ID of the food safety officer in Bangalore, dobbmpsouth@gmail.com has also been set up.

Citizens may also contact (080) 23465403 with complaints, he said

Check for ISI mark on water bottle

Food Safety Commissioner S.N. Jairam on Saturday came out with a shocking disclosure that nearly 60 per cent of the packaged drinking water in Bangalore city did not have ISI certification though rules make it mandatory.

“If the packaged drinking water does not have ISI mark, then it is meant for industrial use. It is mandatory on the part of the manufacturers to declare that such a product is for industrial purpose. But they are hoodwinking consumers by selling such a product to them for human consumption,” he said, and appealed to consumers to check for ISI mark on the container or bottles of packaged water before buying them. According to the law, licences of the shops that sell packaged drinking water without ISI certification could be cancelled, he said.

Restaurant issued notice

Mussoorie, June 21

A team of the Food Safety and Standard Authority, Uttarakhand, inspected eating joints and shops in Mussoorie yesterday and issued a notice to a restaurant owner for flouting the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

District Food Safety and Standard Officer Rachna Lal along with other team members reached Mussoorie and inspected several hotels and restaurant on the Mall Road. She found unhygienic conditions in Kalsang, a famous Chinese restaurant near Rialto cinema, and served it a notice. The inspecting team found substandard oil and spices being sold in some shops and collected samples of food items being sold by street vendors on the Mall.

The team also inspected several hotels on the Mall Road, near Picture Palace and Landour Bazaar and directed them to maintain hygienic conditions in their kitchens to avoid any punitive action.

Family farming for safe food

A network of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in the State has been formed to implement the Partnership on Family Farming project to achieve food safety and nutritional security in the State. It had been conceived as part of the United Nations Organisation declaring 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming, sources said.

The Department of Agriculture would implement the project in all districts in collaboration with non-governmental and community-based forums and local bodies. The decision was taken at a meeting of all KVKs at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Thrissur, recently.

The focus would be on enhancing production and productivity of safe-to-eat vegetables and fruits; and integration of crop, livestock, and inland fisheries into the homestead farming systems.

The plan aimed at strengthening integrated homestead models and value addition by selecting 120 ‘farming families’ in each district.

Lack of quality inputs

Inadequacy of quality inputs and market channels often curtailed most farm development projects, Kerala Agricultural University Director of Extension P.V. Balanchandran said.

“Enhancing production of safe-to-eat vegetables and fruits has to be supported by cluster-based inputs in the production and supply streams. Market outlets should benefit the community,” he added.

Focus on creating linkage platforms

Integrated homestead models to be strengthened

Large pan masala stock seized, one held

A wholesale distributor of banned pan masala was arrested and a huge stock of tobacco products seized by the police from an outlet near the KSRTC bus station here on Friday.

A shadow police team deputed by the Superintendent of Police seized 22,443 sachets of pan masala during a raid at the shop.

It arrested Ramanda Chaudhari, 24, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, the police said.

Raid

In the raid that followed at his house at Nellikunnu, the police seized more pan masala products that were meant for distribution here.

Smuggling of tobacco

The raid followed reports that large stocks of banned tobacco products were being smuggled into the district from other States.