EXTENDING TIME LINE UPTO 4TH FEB. 2015

FSSAI extends food licensing, registration deadline to February 4, 2015

Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country’s apex food regulator, has extended the deadline for obtaining licences and securing registration for food business operators (FBOs) in the country under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR), 2011, by six months. The new deadline is February 4, 2015. 

The current deadline lapsed on August 4, 2014, following which it was decided to accord extension. With the nod of the competent authority, the regulator issued a notice in this regard, which stated that the timeline mentioned in Sub-regulation 2.1.2 of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, has been extended by six months. 

However, questions are being raised about the effectiveness of the Regulations in the backdrop of several extensions accorded to the deadline for securing licences and ensuring registration, because a period of five years was given in order to overcome various issues, before the implementation of the Act, which was passed in Parliament in 2006. Originally, a year was prescribed in the Act for securing licences and ensuring registration by FBOs, but three years have passed, and the task remains incomplete.

From among 5 crore FBOs across the country, only 25 lakh have completed the procedure. When contacted, health ministry officials informed that FSSAI has been allowed to extend the deadline. As far as the conversion of licences was concerned, Maharashtra was the leader, with over 1.51 lakh licences converted. It is pertinent to mention here that the fate of extension of the deadline was hanging in the balance due to the recent observation made by Bombay High Court regarding advisories issued by FSSAI, and confusion prevailed, because that was termed ‘not the way to function’. 

However, in this regard, during a recent interaction with the industry in New Delhi, K Chandramouli, chairman, FSSAI, stated that final judgment was awaited along with its full interpretation.And, hence,the extension was accorded as per the usual practice. FBOs, meanwhile, were relieved upon receiving the news regarding the extension. They were previously fearing a crackdown by FSSAI in the event of their failure to obtain licences or ensure registration, as per FSSR 2011.

Think twice before buying Vanaspati next time

Refined oil being sold in market after lacing it with animal fat extracts

Consumers who use hydro-generated refined vegetable oil (Vanaspati) sometimes fail to realise that manufacturers adulterate the product by lacing it with a content extracted from animal fat and cotton seed oil.

The use of such adulterated oils may lead to intestine-related problems. Cholesterol levels are also likely to go up if the oil is used on a regular basis.

The irregularities came to light when oil samples were collected from Vijayawada by officials of the State Food Laboratory (SFL) a few months ago.

Officials said that the samples failed to meet the stringent quality specifications prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2011.

Profitable business

The SFL Assistant Director S. Subba Lakshmi Devi said adulteration of edible oil using cheaper oil or cottonseed oil was a profitable business for unscrupulous players. “The higher the price of the premium oil, greater is the propensity to adulterate it with low-cost oil, besides argemone oil,” she added.

Majority of cow ghee sachets sold in shops and supermarkets are also adulterated by blending it with palm oil, it has been found.

Adulteration

Tartrazine colour is used to make cow ghee look original, said an official. Police arrested a businessman for allegedly preparing and selling adulterated ghee of various brands by mixing it with palm oil in Hyderabad last year, the official added.

As many as 25 cartons of adulterated ghee were seized from the accused, Sachin Agarwal.

His modus operandi was to procure original ghee sachets from market , carefully open it from the top and mix a third of the original ghee with two-third of palm oil and dalda and refill it in one-litre empty pack of genuine ghee before sealing it with a punching machine.

He would purchase empty packets of two other brands and refill them with adulterated ghee.

Consumers can also approach laboratory officials if they have any doubt about the product, the official said.

Tea stall in toilet block at Sabarimala

TDB blames Health, Food Safety authorities; pilgrims see red

A tea stall that was found operating from a toilet block at Neelimala on the Pampa-Sannidhanam path at Sabarimala on the Niraputhari festival day on Friday

Traders at Sabarimala managed to operate a tea and snack stall from a toilet block at Neelimala on the Pampa-Sannidhanam path, according to a group of devotees.

A tea-snack stall was found operating from the toilet block at Neelimala-Top when the Ayyappa Temple remained open for the Niraputhari celebrations on Friday, they said.

The food articles were kept on a slab inside the toilet block that houses latrines and bathrooms. A live gas stove used for making tea was found on the steps of the latrine block with a vessel of boiling water on it, making a mockery of the much publicised food safety precautions made by the government machinery.

The traders might have chosen the toilet block for operating the tea stall owing to the availability of pipe water inside for cooking. Pilgrims were complaining of the smell of septage at several points at Pampa, Sannidhanam and along the trekking path. There were also apprehensions that contractors might have opened the septic tank covers at certain points to clear the filth in the heavy rain. Talking toThe Hindu , the devotees from Coimbatore who were climbing the hills bemoaned the poor basic facility at the pilgrim centre where not less than 25,000 congregated for the Niraputhari festival on Friday.

The functioning of a tea stall inside a toilet block itself was a testimony to the criminal negligence on the part of the official machinery in ensuring food safety, health and hygiene at South India’s major pilgrim centre, they alleged.

Ironically, the toilet block is situated hardly 25 metres away from the Cardiology Centre at Neelimala. When contacted, the Travancore Devaswom Board authorities at Sabarimala said the Health Department and the Food Safety authorities were supposed to address such issues.

Many pilgrims were of the opinion that TDB should take immediate steps to stop all commercial activities at Sabarimala by opening clean tea and snack kiosks at different points on the trekking path, Pampa, and Sabarimala or by permitting credible devotees’ organisations with proven track record to do the job.

Mid-day meal: Dead lizard, scorpion being served to school kids

The recent incidents related to Mid-day meal schemes have brought back the controversial Government scheme into light. The scheme, one of the biggest of its kind in the world, covering more than 60 million children, was started with an aim to provide safe and nutritious meal to school kids in the country, but over the past few years it has turned out to be disaster. Instead of nutritious food, our future generation is being served worms, insects and even lizards in the food. 

Nearly fifty students of a Government primary school fell ill in Bihar on Friday after eating their mid-day meal in which a dead lizard was found. This was the fourth such incident in the last one month in the State. A week ago, 12 students fell ill in Buxar district after eating their mid-day meal at Government school. In Vaishali district, 33 students fell sick on 18 July and in Siwan district 25 kids took ill on 11 July after having their mid-day meal. In early July, a dead snake was found in the mid-day meal served to students. According to education department officials, there have been 14 cases of poisoning in the past seven months in Bihar only. What is mid-day meal? 

The scheme was designated to improve the nutritional status of school going children nationwide. The scheme launched on small scale decades ago, received the support of Supreme Court in 2001. Since then, most India States have adopted it, offering free meals to children in Government schools. One of the aims to initiate the scheme was to persuade poor families to send their kids to schools. But, recent tragedies have left many families asking if sending their kids to schools is safe or not. 

The scheme has also been plagued with instances of corruption, mis-management and lax health and safety guidelines. MMS, looks promising only on paper Reports suggest that majority of meals being served to lakhs of students in the national capital has failed test conducted by Government. In 2013, a report by North Delhi Municipal Corporation revealed that 75 per cent of mid-day meal samples collected failed to meet the criteria. Of the 36 samples collected, 27 failed in the test conducted by Shri Ram Institute for Industrial Research. 

There have been 14 cases of poisoning in the past seven months in Bihar In 2010-11, just five of 466 samples tested passed the quality test. In 2011-12, 27 samples passed out of 541 that were tested. The idea was to increase school attendance and along with providing them with healthy food. History of mid-day meal horrors: In July 2013, 23 students died after having the infected food in Saran district of Bihar. At least 39 children fell ill after consuming food, contaminated by a dead scorpion at their school in Dhenkonal district of Odisha. On 31st July 2013, 55 students at Government middle school fell ill at Kalyuga village in Jamui district after their midday meal provided by an NGO. 

All the above incidents highlighted the deteriorating quality of food being provided to the kids. The Education department should lay down strict rules and check whether the schools are adhering to them.

The fast food bomb

Obesity among children due to rampant consumption of junk food has reached epidemic proportions. With India already in the grip of this dangerous global trend, the government needs to remove its blinkers on the processed food industry

One of the first declarations of the newly elected government in June was a proposal to ban unhealthy or junk food (defined as food high on fat, sugar and salt) in school canteens across the country. This was followed up with an increase in the prices of soft drinks in the recent budget.

Discouraging availability

This has been part of a long-standing demand of child rights activists, nutritionists and public health experts to discourage the availability of fast food and other food items containing unhealthy ingredients. This includes a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea in the Delhi High Court demanding a ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in schools and on their sale within a radius of 500 yards.

There is no disagreement among health and nutrition experts that the ‘developed’ world is in the grip of an obesity epidemic and ‘developing’ countries like India are fast following suit. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that more than 40 million children under the age of five were overweight or obese in 2012. If left unchecked, this figure would rise to 70 million by 2015.

In your canteen 

Would you support a junk food ban in your school canteen? If not, tell us why and give us a better way to reduce obesity among children. Email school@thehindu.co.in(Subject: Junk) along with your name and details!

While underweight continues to be a crucial problem in terms of burden of disease in developing countries, obesity is fast catching up and can hardly be ignored. In developing countries, the prevalence of childhood obesity in preschool children is in excess of 30 per cent. Thus, countries like India carry the ‘double burden’ of high levels of malnutrition caused by food insecurity and growing levels of obesity caused by diets high in sugar, oil and salt along with sedentary lifestyle.

Obese children experience breathing difficulties, increased risk of fractures, hypertension, early markers of cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance and psychological effects, and the resultant non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, strokes and heart disease are already contributing significantly to adult mortality. What is critical is that in countries like India, it diverts family resources from nutritious food to the empty calories of highly processed foods.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), effective population-based childhood obesity prevention strategies include restrictions on marketing of unhealthy food (biscuits and potato chips, for instance) and non-alcoholic beverages (soft/carbonated drinks) to children.

Further, the issue of conflict of interest in allowing the junk food industry to participate in policy-making has been continuously raised by civil society, and partially addressed by WHO in its documents. The WHO states that “concerns have been raised regarding the influence of for-profit companies — particularly from the food industry — on the priorities of obesity prevention interventions and the selection of strategies.”

In particular, it recommends that “mechanisms need to be in place to limit the influence of commercial interests and potential conflicts of interest in the policy-making process.” However, what remains worrying is the persistent blind spot with respect to the role of the junk and processed food industry, its rampant proliferation, and its constant attempts to influence nutritional policy and its emergence as a major funder of development programmes of agencies related to health and nutrition.

There have been numerous reports of conflict of interest related to the presence of big-food giants in decision making bodies of Pan American Health Organisation (an office related to WHO); Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement, comprising governments, civil society, the United Nations, donors, businesses and scientists; and GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition) which statedly supports market-based solutions for malnutrition and partners with UNICEF on numerous projects. Many of these relationships have been subsequently sanitised as a result of public protest.

On its part, the Indian government has stayed fairly clear from such associations and is not currently a part of the SUN Alliance. In fact, it made a statement at the recent World Health Assembly on the agenda item related to engaging with non-state actors, cautioning about indirect funding from the processed food industry.

However, closer home, concerns are just beginning to emerge. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has created a Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Coalition (RMNCH) that has a “mandate to provide and advocate for policy and programme directions to achieve improved RMNCH outcomes in India”. The Secretariat, (by order!) is to be based at a specifically-named NGO which is an established and well-respected child rights organisation, but one that is now funded by several fast food and pharmaceutical companies, among others, in direct violation of all principles of conflict of interest.

Why and how the choice of this particular agency was made by the government is also a mystery and one wonders whether any others were permitted to apply for the position and for how long the secretariat is to be housed with this NGO.

One of the most contested areas, between civil society groups concerned about commercial influences upon food policy and those who are looking for ‘market-based solutions’ and are votaries of commercial processed and ready-to-eat foods, has been the National Food Security Act. The Act carries a definition of ‘meal’ as “hot cooked meal or ready-to-eat meal or take home ration, as may be prescribed by the Central Government.”

Capturing public food market

The mention of ready-to-eat foods, it is feared, leaves the door open for food industries to step up their attempts to capture the large potential market of the public food schemes (mid-day meals and food delivered through the anganwadis).

Public pressure had resulted in the removal of stringent standards for micronutrient content of the food to be served to children from Schedule II of the Act. This was on the grounds that while quality standards are required and desirable, village women or self-help groups cooking/preparing these meals would not be able to demonstrate these standards since labelling and testing would not be available to them. A case was also made that additional micronutrient requirements are being met through national programmes run by the Ministry of Health, such as the Vitamin A and Iron supplementation programmes, and we need not meddle with the entire process of food production and distribution to meet these requirements. However, these stringent standards have been brought back through the draft rules that have been put up recently by the Ministry for Women and Child Development.

The problem of junk and processed, packaged food in India is reaching dramatic proportions with every tiny village shop laden with packets of potato chips and namkeen and carbonated drinks. Junk food is far cheaper and more immediately filling than the high quality protein and micronutrient sources. Any practitioner with field experience would know that biscuits are used as the commonest complementary food in slums and suburban areas since they are convenient for working women to hand out to children through the day.

It behoves the government to recognise conflicts of interest, eschew these ‘partnerships’ and focus on stringent regulation and accountability instead of validating junk food companies by accepting their money and proudly proclaiming them as allies. Similarly, a visible public-policy support is required for the public food programmes that clearly favour the use of fresh, culturally appropriate food with sufficiency and diversity, using local resources.

If we allow the dangerous global trends towards unhealthy, processed and packaged foods to overwhelm the food culture in India, the direct and indirect public cost is likely to be enormous. Let us choose to save our children while we still have the chance.

(Vandana Prasad is a former member (child health), National Commission for Protection of Child Rights)

அதிகாரிகள் அறிவுறுத்தல் பாக்கெட் உணவுகளுக்கு காலாவதி தேதி அவசியம்

காரைக்கால், ஆக.4:

பாக்கெட்டுகளில் அடைத்து விற்பனை செய்யும் உணவுகளில், நிறுவனத்தின் பெயர், காலாவதி தேதி உள்ளிட்ட லேபிள்கள் கட்டாயம் அச்சிட வேண்டும் என, புதுச்சேரி உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் வலியுறுத்தியுள்ளனர்.

புதுச்சேரி உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறைக்கு வந்த புகாரையடுத்து, காரைக்கால் கோட்டுச்சேரி பகுதிகளில் இயங்கும் கடைகளில் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்களை, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி ரவிச்சந்திரன் கண்டறிந்து பறிமுதல் செய்தார். முறையற்ற விற்பனையில் ஈடுபட்ட மளிகை கடை மற்றும் பெட்டிகடைகளுக்கு நோட்டீஸ் அனுப்பி, 15 நாட்களுக்குள் பதில் அளிக்கவும், இனி இதுபோன்ற முறையற்ற விற்பனையில் ஈடுபட்டால், 6 மாதம் முதல் 7 ஆண்டு வரை சிறை தண்டனை, அபராதமாக ரூ.5 லட்சம் வரை விதிக்கப்படும் என எச்சரிக்கை விடுத்தார்.

மேலும், பாக்கெட்டுகளில் அடைத்து விற்பனை செய்யும் உணவுகளில், நிறுவனத்தின் பெயர், காலாவதி தேதி உள்ளிட்ட லேபிள்கள் கட்டாயம் அச்சிட வேண்டும் என அறிவுறுத்திய ரவிச்சந்திரன், உற்பத்தி மற்றும் காலாவதி தேதி இல்லாத பாக்கெட் உணவு வகைகளை பறிமுதல் செய்தார்.

Food safety officials raid shops

Shops in the outskirts of Karaikal town were raided by food safety officials following complaints of sale of adulterated goods and tobacco products.

Shops in in Poovam, Varichukudy, Keezhakaasaakudi, and Kottucherry came under the scanner of the food safety officials, for sale of banned tobacco products, alongside substandard essential commodities.

Several shops were given a 15-day show cause notice under the Food Safety and Standard Rules, 2006.

Later, the officials inspected meat outlets and advised to ensure safety and hygiene.

Food licence worries Himachal farmers

Thousands of small and marginal farmers here who are selling milk, fruits and vegetables everyday in the towns will now have to procure a food licence. The government has fixed August 4 as the last date for farmers to acquire the licence. If any farmer is found selling his products without the licence, he could be jailed for six months and invite a fine of Rs 5 lakh.

The registration has been made mandatory for all farmers under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. The farmers will have to submit their yearly return record, medical certificate and photographs with the authorities.

The required formalities and repeated announcements by the local authorities have created a panic amongst the small farmers and their families.

A delegation of villagers on Saturday met the Municipal Commissioner and Medical Officers under the leadership of Himachal Kisan Sabha on the issue. The Sabha requested the authorities to make a joint registration of a family selling milk or vegetables instead of individual members.

“I send my children and my wife to deliver the milk to three nearby houses in the town when I am working in the fields”, said Baburam, a farmer who is now worried about the implementation of this Act after August 4. All farmers, big or small, will now have to pay the same registration fees for selling any of their products. To maintain the same quality and quantity of fat in the milk throughout the year is also not possible, said farmers.

Beopar Mandal hails decision to extend food safety licence deadline

Amritsar, August 3

The Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) has hailed the Union Government’s decision to extend the food safety licence deadline. President, Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, Amrit Lal Jain, said it would bring relief to 2.5 crore traders dealing in eatables and food items across the country.

He said a delegation of the national body of the mandal led by Shyam Bihari Mishra, former MP, met the Union Health Secretary Luv Verma and apprised him of the practical difficulties being faced by the traders under the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 and Rules 2011.

Jain said the Act has been framed as per the convenience of the multi-national companies. He said the entire exercise was not as per the Indian geographical and climatic condition. He said there was a dire need to reconsider most of the provisions of the act.

The deadline for registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act ended on August 4.

The Health Department here had made the registration process online and a hard copy of the application had to be submitted within next 15 days.

Though the department is on its toes to bring all kinds of food-related establishments under the ambit of the Food Safety and Standards Act, the enthusiasm among the traders was lacking as they were already expecting extension of the deadline.

Earlier, the government had extended the deadline on various occasions.

So far, over 5,000 food related establishments operating in Amritsar district had got themselves registered with the Health Department in keeping with its directive.

Water contamination: notice issued to engineering college

The Public Health Department has issued notice to a private engineering college in the outskirts of the city after the water supplied to its hostel was found to contain ‘e-coli’ bacteria, which causes diarrhoea and vomiting.

‘E- coli’ bacteria come from human and animal faecal matter. It was likely that sewage water must have mixed with the drinking water, probably due to a pipeline rupture, leading to the contamination. The samples were taken after several hostellers were hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning. Following the incident, college students also staged protests.

Official sources told The Hindu here on Saturday that the sanitation near the girl’s hostel was also found to be poor with sewage overflowing in the open.

A Health Department team, which inspected the hostel found that the college was yet to get a sanitation certificate. The team also found that the toilets were being badly maintained and posed a health risk.

Further, the college had not obtained an ‘occupancy certificate’, which would ascertain if the building had adequate drinking water and sanitation facilities, besides drainage.

Further, the team also found that hostels were overcrowded. At least four to five students were found staying in a room measuring just around 100 sq.ft. The college hostel accommodated 280 girls and 381 boys.

While the kitchen was reasonably maintained, an official said that the department was in the process of ascertaining whether the college had obtained licences from the Food Safety Department for the kitchen and the food handlers.

The official said that the college had been instructed to rectify these deficiencies within a certain period of time, failing which the hostel will be closed down.

The college would then be asked to arrange for alternative accommodation for the students, he said.

Further, the official said that similar complaints were being reported from many private engineering college hostels.

It’s right to serve worm-infested food to Indians. Right, Kelloggs?

Remember October 2003, Cadbury India was hit by a huge controversy. Some of its products were infested with worms. The company worked hard to get out of the huge negativity the incident, or several of them, in Bangalore especially, got them into. They even roped in Amitabh Bachchan who extolled views across TV channels about the virtues of their chocolates and how spic and span the factory was and how it was packed in layers, under hygienic conditions to bring to you a product that is safe and ‘bug’-free, so to say.

It did come as a shock to a lot then, for, most of these transnational giants come to India with a promise. A promise to deliver to the deprived Indians world-class products that they can buy right here, and not beg an uncle returning from an overseas trip and somehow lay your hands on a packet of Kraft cheese, or Toblerone chocolates or Head & Shoulder shampoo, or even a pair of Levi’s jeans.

But it seems most of these biggies, when it comes to India, forget to adhere to the norms that they painstakingly follow abroad, taking the Indian consumer, or perhaps even the system here for granted. The latest to join the list of biggies offering worm-infested product to hapless Indians is Kelloggs India, the company that wants to change the breakfast habit of us Indians.

Archana Sanjay in Bangalore opened a fresh pack of the company’s Chocos product, poured it into a bowl for her 3-year-old son Aarav and just as she was about to look away and let the child enjoy the product from the company that offers ‘world’s favourite cereal’, she heard him squeal.

To her horror, the ‘quality’ product had a worm crawling inside the chocolatey pod that Aarav was about to devour.

The product was packed on March 9, 2014 and was to be consumed within 9 months.

Horrified, she snatched it from the child. But if you thought that the single pod alone was infested, you are wrong. Each and every pod of the product had the creepy crawly insect. Shocked, she went to the market and just to check, picked up another packet. The story repeated itself there too.

Clearly, the company missed an opportunity here. When it claimed that this product is “a nourishing breakfast to take on an action packed and fun filled day in school. That’s because Chocos is now made with Whole Grain, which gives 11 essential vitamins and minerals, and fibre” it forgot to mention that their premium product also offers protein, live one at that.

Archana is approaching the consumer forum with her complain and all evidence, and that even the product available on the shelves currently is infested.

How utterly disgusting!

Why do these companies treat Indian consumers almost with disdain? Sure, some will argue that Indian companies had been giving us such substandard and unhygienic product since ages, that we should not complain. Not fair. These biggies come into India with a promise that they will offer us quality that is world class. They get permission to set up operation here by playing on the emotional quotient, that the Indians have now arrived, and deserve to get world-class products, right here. Of course, they are never bothered about profits that among the fastest growing consumer markets in the world offers, I am sure, for their intention is to make us healthy.

However, even as one disgusts, almost pukes at the thought of what if the child had consumed it. Actually, who knows. It is possible other kids were not as fortunate, for, doesn’t it often happen that the parent pours it into a bowl and gets busy while the child plays around, without being supervised. This episode has hurt that trust. It should.

And even as I write this, I often wonder why should we let go of our own healthy, and fresh, option and go in for these processed items. Irrespective of their tall claims, they are not as healthy, or nutritious. How can this product, for example, compare with the spongy idlis, the healthiest fast food in the world, or light parathas, which, even with a little butter, would be better off than worm-infested, processed food on offer by these biggies.

For me, a paratha or a roti or South Indian tiffin alternatives like upma or idli or dosa anyday over KFC or Big Mac.

On August 2, Kellog sent us the following statement in response to this blog post:

Kellogg received a consumer complaint in one of its products — Chocos Moons and Stars. We regard every consumer query or complaint with utmost importance. Kellogg has been in touch with the consumer and we are yet to receive the complaint sample. We look forward to receiving the sample at the earliest. In the interim, we have already checked the samples of the same batch both at the factory and market and found them in line with our quality standards, and hence this appears to be an isolated instance. As a responsible organization, we effectively address the root cause of all consumer complaints, irrespective of whether it originates in the supply chain or in homes.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

ரயில் சாப்பாட்டில் கரப்பான் பூச்சி:ஐ.ஆர்.சி.டி.சி.,க்கு ரூ.ஒரு லட்சம் அபராதம்

புதுடில்லி:கோல்கட்டா ராஜதானி ரயிலில், பயணிக்கு வழங்கப் பட்ட உணவில் கரப்பான் பூச்சி கிடந்தது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டதை அடுத்து, ஐ.ஆர்.சி.டிசி.,க்கு, ஒரு லட்சம் ரூபாய் அபராதம் விதிக்கப்பட்டது.

கடுமையான நடவடிக்கை:ரயில் பயணிகளுக்கு உணவு தயாரித்து வழங்கும் பணி, இந்தியன் ரயில்வே உணவு மற்றும் சுற்றுலா கழகம் உள்ளிட்ட சில நிறுவனங்களுக்கு வழங்கப் பட்டுள்ளது. ரயில்களில் வழங்கப்படும் உணவுகள், தரமற்றவையாக இருப்பதாக புகார்கள் வந்ததை அடுத்து, தற்போது பொறுப்பேற்றுள்ள பா.ஜ., தலைமையிலான அரசு, கடுமையான நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொண்டுள்ளது.ரயில்களில் பயணிகளுக்கு வழங்கப்படும் உணவுகளை பரிசோதிக்க, அதிகாரிகள் நியமிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.இந்த அதிகாரிகள், கடந்த சில நாட்களாக மேற்கொண்ட சோதனையில், கோல்கட்டா ராஜதானி ரயிலில் பயணித்த ஒருவருக்கு வழங்கப்பட்ட உணவில், கரப்பான் பூச்சி கிடந்தது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. 

மேலும் பல நிறுவனங்கள்:இதையடுத்து, அந்த உணவை வழங்கிய, ஐ.ஆர்.சி.டி.சி.,க்கு, ஒரு லட்சம் ரூபாய் அபராதம் விதிக்கப்பட்டது. இதுதவிர, புஸ்பக் எக்ஸ்பிரஸ், மொதிஹரி எக்ஸ்பிரஸ், சிவகங்கா எக்ஸ்பிரஸ், கோல்டன் டெம்பிள் மெயில், பஞ்சாப் மெயில், சண்டிகார் சதாப்தி எக்ஸ்பிரஸ் உள்ளிட்ட ரயில்களி லும், தரமற்ற உணவு வழங்கப்பட்டது கண்டறியப்பட்டு, அந்த உணவு களை வழங்கிய நிறுவனங்களுக்கும் அபராதம் விதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக, ரயில்வே தரப்பில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது

ரயில் உணவில் கரப்பான் பூச்சி ஐஆர்சிடிசி நிறுவனத்துக்கு 1 லட்சம் அபராதம் ரயில்வே துறை அதிரடி

புதுடெல்லி, ஆக.4:

கரப் பான் பூச்சியுடன் உணவு சப்ளை செய்த ஐஆர்சிடிசி நிறுவனத்துக்கு 1 லட்சம் உட்பட, 9 கேட்டரிங் நிறுவனங்களுக்கு ரயில்வே துறை 11.50 லட்சம் அபராதம் விதித்துள்ளது.

ரயில்களில் சப்ளை செய்யப்படும் உணவுகள் மோசமாக உள்ளதாக பல புகார்கள் வந்தன. இப்பிரச் னையை தீர்க்க கேட்டரிங் சேவையில் உள்ள குறை பாடுகள் நீக்க நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என பட் ஜெட்டில் ரயில்வே அமைச் சர் சதானந்த கவுடா அறிவித்தார். அதன்படி, ரயிலில் சப்ளை செய்யப்ப டும் உணவுகளை சோதனை செய்யும் நடவடிக்கையில் ரயில்வே நிர்வாகம் கடந்த மாதம் இறங்கியது.

கொல்கத்தா ராஜ்தானி ரயிலில் கடந்த 13ம் தேதி நடத்திய சோதனையில் உணவில் கரப்பான் பூச்சி இருந்தது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட் டது. அந்த ரயிலில் ஐஆர்சி டிசி நிறுவனம் உணவு சப்ளை செய்கிறது. இதை யடுத்து அந்த நிறுவனத் துக்கு ரயில்வே துறை 1 லட் சம் அபாராதம் விதித்தது.

இதே போல் பஸ்சிம், புஷ்பக், மோதிஹாரி, சிவ கங்கா எக்ஸ்பிரஸ், கோல் டன் டெம்பிள் மெயில், நேத்ராவதி, பஞ்சாப், ஹவுரா&அமிர்த்சரஸ் மெயில் ஆகிய ரயில்களிலும் அதிரடி சோதனை நடத்தப் பட்டது. அப்போது 13 ரயில்களில் மோசமான மற்றும் சுகாதாரமற்ற முறை யில் உணவு சப்ளை செய்யப்பட்டது கண்டு பிடிக்கப்பட்டது.

இவற்றை சப்ளை செய்த ஆர்.கே.அசோசியேட்ஸ், சன்சைன், சத்யம், பிருந்தாவன் புட் உட்பட 9 கேட்டரிங் நிறுவனங்களுக்கு 50 ஆயிரம் முதல் 1 லட்சம் வரை அபராதம் விதிக்கப் பட்டது. ரயில்வே துறை எடுத்த நடவடிக்கை யில் இதுவரை 11.50 லட்சம் அபராதம் விதிக்கப் பட்டுள் ளது. 5 முறை தவறு செய் யும் கேட்டரிங் நிறுவனத் தின் லைசன்ஸ் ரத்து செய் யப்படும் என ரயில்வே அதி காரிகள் எச்சரித்துள்ளனர்.

முன்னனி கேட்டரிங் நிறுவனங்களான ஐ.டி.சி, எம்.டி.ஆர், ஹால்டிராம் ஆகிய நிறுவனங்களின் பாக்கெட் உணவுகளை ரயில்களில் சப்ளை செய்ய ரயில்வே துறை திட்டமிட் டுள்ளது. முதல் கட்டமாக ராஜ்தானி, துரந்தோ, சதாப்தி ஆகிய ரயில்கள் தேர்வு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளன. இவற்றில் பிரபல கேட்டரிங் நிறுவனங்கள் தயாரிக்கும் செட்டிநாடு சிக்கன், ஐதரா பாத் பிரியாணி, சாம்பார் சாதம், ராஜ்மா சாவல் ஆகியவை வழங்கப்படவுள் ளது. இந்த பாக்கெட் உண வுகள் மைக்ரோ அவனில் சூடு செய்து பயணிகளுக்கு சப்ளை செய்யப்படும். இதற்கு மக்கள் அளிக்கும் வரவேற்பை பொறுத்து, இந்த வகை ரெடிமேட் உணவுகள் மற்ற ரயில்களி லும் சப்ளை செய்யப்படும்.

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு உரிமம் இன்றுடன் முடிகிறது 'கெடு' :கால நீட்டிப்பு தருவதில் மத்திய அரசு மவுனம்

சென்னை :உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணய சட்டப்படி, வணிகர்கள் உரிமம் பெற மத்திய அரசு விதித்த கெடு, இன்றுடன் முடிகிறது. வணிகர்கள் எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்து வரும் நிலையில், விதிகளில் காலத்திற்கேற்ற திருத்தம், கால நீட்டிப்பு குறித்து மத்திய அரசு மவுனம் சாதித்து வருகிறது.

நுகர்வோருக்கு கிடைக்கும் உணவுப் பொருட்கள், தரமானதாகக் கிடைக்க, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணய சட்டம் 2006ஐ, முந்தைய மத்திய அரசு கொண்டு வந்தது. விதிமுறைகள் வகுக்கப்பட்டு, 2011ல் 

அமலானது.இதன்படி, ஆண்டுக்கு, 12 லட்சம் ரூபாய்க்குள் வர்த்தகம் செய்வோர், 100 ரூபாய் கட்டணம் செலுத்தி, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறையில் பதிவுச்சான்று பெற வேண்டும். அதற்கு மேல் வர்த்தகம் செய்வோர், 2,000 ரூபாய் செலுத்தி, உரிமம் பெற வேண்டும். இதை, ஆண்டு தோறும் புதுப்பிக்க வேண்டும்.

சான்று, உரிமம் பெறாவிட்டால், ஒரு லட்சம் முதல், 15 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வரை அபராதம், சிறைத் தண்டனை தரும் வகையில், சட்ட விதிகள் கடுமையாக உள்ளன. இதற்கு, வணிகர்கள் கடும் எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்ததால் பதிவு, உரிமம் பெற, மூன்று முறை அவகாசம் தரப்பட்டது. கடந்த ஆண்டு, மீண்டும் ஒரு முறை, அவகாசம் வழங்க பட்டது. அந்த அவகாசம், 

இன்றுடன் முடிகிறது.அரசின் கணக்குப்படி, தமிழகத்தில், 5.5 லட்சம் வணிகர்கள் உள்ளனர். இதுவரை, 40 சதவீதம் பேர் கூட பதிவு செய்யவில்லை.

33 ஆயிரம் பேர் உரிமம் பெற்றிருந்தாலும், யாரும் புதுப்பிக்கவில்லை.'இந்த திட்டத்தில் காலத்திற்கேற்ப திருத்தம் செய்ய வேண்டும்; அதுவரை, சட்டத்தை அமல்படுத்தக்கூடாது. பதிவு, உரிமம் பெற மேலும் அவகாசம் தர வேண்டும்' என, வணிகர்கள், மத்திய அரசை வலியுறுத்தி 

வருகின்றனர்.மோடி தலைமையிலான, மத்திய அரசும், 'இதில் கவனம் செலுத்தப்படும்' என, அறிவித்தது. ஆனாலும், உரிமம், பதிவுக்கு காலக்கெடு இன்றுடன் முடியும் நிலையில், இதுவரை கால நீட்டிப்பு குறித்து எந்த அறிவிப்பையும் வெளியிடாமல், மத்திய அரசு மவுனம் சாதித்து வருவது, வியாபாரிகளை கவலை அடையச் செய்துள்ளது.

இதுகுறித்து, தமிழ்நாடு உணவுப்பொருள் வியாபாரிகள் சங்கச் செயலர் வேல்சங்கர் கூறுகையில், ''இந்த பிரச்னை குறித்து, கடந்த வாரம் மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சர் ஹர்ஷவர்த்தனை சந்தித்து, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தில் காலத்திற்கே திருத்தம் வேண்டும். அதுவரை, வணிகர்களுக்கு அவகாசம் தர வேண்டும் என, வலியுறுத்தினோம். பா.ஜ., தலைவர்களையும் சந்தித்து பேசினோம். நல்ல தீர்வு கிடைக்கும் என்ற நம்பிக்கை உள்ளது,'' என்றார்.