Oct 17, 2014
ஓமலூரில் வெல்லத்தில் உரம் கலப்பு; ஆலைக்கு சீல்
ஓமலூர், அக். 17:
சேலம் மாவட்டம் ஓமலூர் பகுதி யில் கரும்பு தயாரிப்பு ஆலை களில் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அலுவலர்கள் ஆய்வு செய் தனர். விதிமுறைகளை மீறி வெல்லத்தில் உரம், சர்க்கரையை பயன்படுத்திய 4 ஆலைகளுக்கு சீல் வைத்தனர்.
சேலம் மாவட்டம் ஓமலூருக்கு உட்பட்ட காமலாபுரம், பொட்டியபுரம், கருப் பூர், தின்னபட்டி, வட்டகாடு, தேக்கம்பட்டி ஆகிய கிராமங்களில் வெல்லம் தயாரிக் கும் கரும்பு ஆலைகள் உள்ளன. இந்த ஆலைகளில் சர்க்கரையை கொண்டு வெல்லம் தயாரிப்பதாகவும், மேலும், உணவு பொருட்களில் கலக்கக்கூடாத பல்வேறு மூலப்பொருட்கள் கலப்பதாகவும் சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறைக்கு தகவல் கிடைத் தது. இதன்பேரில் சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை நியமன அலுவலர் அனுராதா தலைமையில் அதிகாரிகள் நேற்று திடீர் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர்.
ஓமலூர் வட்டத்தில் உள்ள 50க்கும் மேற்பட்ட ஆலைகளில் ஆய்வுகள் செய்தனர். இந்த ஆய்வில் வெல்லம் வெண்மை நிற மாக வருவதற்கு, வயலுக்கு பயன்படுத்தப்படும் சூப்பர் பாஸ்பேட் உரம், சப்போ லைட் போன்றவற்றை பயன்படுத்தி வருவது தெரிய வந்தது. மேலும், பாதியளவு கரும்பு சாரில் பாதி அளவு சர்க்கரையை பயன்படுத்தி யது ஆய்வில் தெரிய வந்தது.
இதையடுத்து அதிகமான பாதிப்புகளை ஏற்படுத்தும் வகையில் வெல்லம் தயாரித்த 4 கரும்பாலைகளுக்கு தடை விதித்து சீல் வைக்கப்பட்டது.
மேலும், ஆலைகளில் வைக்கபட்டிருந்த சூப்பர் பாஸ்பேட், சபோலைட் ஆகியவற்றையும் பறிமுதல் செய்து அழித்தனர். மேலும் அப்பகுதியில் 20க்கும் மேற்பட்ட ஆலைகளில் விதிமீறல்கள் கண்டுபிடித்து முதல் கட்ட மாக எச்சரிக்கை நோ ட்டீஸ் வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
சேலம் மாவட்டம் ஓமலூர் பகுதி யில் கரும்பு தயாரிப்பு ஆலை களில் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அலுவலர்கள் ஆய்வு செய் தனர். விதிமுறைகளை மீறி வெல்லத்தில் உரம், சர்க்கரையை பயன்படுத்திய 4 ஆலைகளுக்கு சீல் வைத்தனர்.
சேலம் மாவட்டம் ஓமலூருக்கு உட்பட்ட காமலாபுரம், பொட்டியபுரம், கருப் பூர், தின்னபட்டி, வட்டகாடு, தேக்கம்பட்டி ஆகிய கிராமங்களில் வெல்லம் தயாரிக் கும் கரும்பு ஆலைகள் உள்ளன. இந்த ஆலைகளில் சர்க்கரையை கொண்டு வெல்லம் தயாரிப்பதாகவும், மேலும், உணவு பொருட்களில் கலக்கக்கூடாத பல்வேறு மூலப்பொருட்கள் கலப்பதாகவும் சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறைக்கு தகவல் கிடைத் தது. இதன்பேரில் சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை நியமன அலுவலர் அனுராதா தலைமையில் அதிகாரிகள் நேற்று திடீர் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர்.
ஓமலூர் வட்டத்தில் உள்ள 50க்கும் மேற்பட்ட ஆலைகளில் ஆய்வுகள் செய்தனர். இந்த ஆய்வில் வெல்லம் வெண்மை நிற மாக வருவதற்கு, வயலுக்கு பயன்படுத்தப்படும் சூப்பர் பாஸ்பேட் உரம், சப்போ லைட் போன்றவற்றை பயன்படுத்தி வருவது தெரிய வந்தது. மேலும், பாதியளவு கரும்பு சாரில் பாதி அளவு சர்க்கரையை பயன்படுத்தி யது ஆய்வில் தெரிய வந்தது.
இதையடுத்து அதிகமான பாதிப்புகளை ஏற்படுத்தும் வகையில் வெல்லம் தயாரித்த 4 கரும்பாலைகளுக்கு தடை விதித்து சீல் வைக்கப்பட்டது.
மேலும், ஆலைகளில் வைக்கபட்டிருந்த சூப்பர் பாஸ்பேட், சபோலைட் ஆகியவற்றையும் பறிமுதல் செய்து அழித்தனர். மேலும் அப்பகுதியில் 20க்கும் மேற்பட்ட ஆலைகளில் விதிமீறல்கள் கண்டுபிடித்து முதல் கட்ட மாக எச்சரிக்கை நோ ட்டீஸ் வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
ஓமலூர் அருகே வெல்லம் தயாரிப்பில் ரசாயன கலப்படம்; 3 கரும்பு ஆலைகளுக்கு “சீல்” வைப்பு உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் அதிரடி நடவடிக்கை
ரசாயன கலப்படம்
சேலம் மாவட்டம் ஓமலூர் அருகே உள்ள காமலாபுரம் சர்க்கரை செட்டிப்பட்டி உள்ளிட்ட பகுதிகளில் 100-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட கரும்பு ஆலைகள் இயங்கி வருகின்றன. அந்த பகுதியில் உள்ள சில கரும்பு ஆலைகளில் வெல்லம் தயாரிப்பில் அதிக அளவில் ரசாயன பொருட்களை கலப்படம் செய்வதாகவும், தரம் குறைந்த பொருட்களை வெல்லம் தயாரிக்க பயன்படுத்துவதாகவும் புகார் எழுந்தது.
இதனையடுத்து மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் அனுராதா தலைமையில், சிங்காரவேலு, அன்புமணி, இளங்கோவன், மாரியப்பன் உள்ளிட்ட அதிகாரிகள் குழுவினர் ஓமலூர் பகுதியில் உள்ள கரும்பாலைகளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு நடத்தினார்கள். அப்போது கோபிநாதபுரத்தை சேர்ந்த இடும்பன், காமலாபுரம் பகுதியை சேர்ந்த ராஜேந்திரன், வெங்கடேசன் ஆகியோரின் கரும்பு ஆலைகளில் இருந்து 1¼ மூட்டை ரசாயன பொருட்கள் மற்றும் 10 ½ மூட்டை சர்க்கரை பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது.
3 கரும்பு ஆலைகளுக்கு சீல்
இதுதொடர்பாக சம்பந்தப்பட்ட கரும்பு ஆலைகளில் அதிகாரிகள் தீவிர விசாரணை நடத்தினார்கள். ஏற்கனவே பலமுறை அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்ட நிலையில், ரசாயன பொருட்களை கலப்படம் செய்த 3 கரும்பு ஆலைகளில் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்ய அதிகாரிகள் தடை விதித்தனர். சம்பந்தப்பட்ட 3 ஆலைகளும் சீல் வைக்கப்பட்டன.
வெல்லம் தயாரிப்பில் கலப்படத்தில் ஈடுபடும் ஆலைகள் மீது உரிய நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என அதிகாரிகள் எச்சரித்தனர். தீபாவளி நெருங்கும் நிலையில் வெல்லம் தயாரிப்பில் ரசாயன பொருட்கள் கலப்படம் தொடர்பாக 3 ஆலைகளுக்கு சீல் வைக்கப்பட்ட சம்பவம் அந்த பகுதியில் பரபரப்பை ஏற்படுத்தி உள்ளது.
Jyani orders to intensify raids to check adulterated sweets
Punjab Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani has directed all the civil surgeons to tighten the noose against not only the wholesale sweet sellers but also the small and medium shopkeepers selling unhygienic and impure eatables in the state.
In a statement here today, Mr Jyani reiterated the state government's resolve to ensure the supply of hygienic and safe food products during the ensuing festival season.
He directed Civil Surgeons and Health Officers at district levels to intensity the checking drive so that supply of adulterated sweets could be prevented. He asked to collect samples of food products right from the top wholesale sweet sellers to the street vendors including "Kulche Channe' to check adulteration.
He also asked the health authorities to adopt zero tolerance against preparation and supply of adulterated sweets, cheese and milk based sweets and other eatables.
Mr Jayani directed the food safety officers to keep proper surveillance in the markets to check supply of adulterated sweets and no shopkeeper should be allowed to store sweets in the store houses in abundance. He also asked the officers to raid all possible store houses such as cold stores etc and collect samples of collect samples on regular basis.
The Minister also made public his contact no 9915708000 for the facilitation of general public to register their plaints, if the local health officers were not accessible.
Giving clear instructions to the surveillance teams, Mr Jyani directed them to destroy the seized suspicious and adulterated eatables immediately after seizure in presence of the shop owners. He said requisite penalties should also be imposed on the erring shopkeepers, who were found playing with the lives of people.
He also warned officials that state level teams would also conduct surprise checks across the state to check adulteration and if field officials found not performing their duty properly then the department would take strong action against them also.
In a statement here today, Mr Jyani reiterated the state government's resolve to ensure the supply of hygienic and safe food products during the ensuing festival season.
He directed Civil Surgeons and Health Officers at district levels to intensity the checking drive so that supply of adulterated sweets could be prevented. He asked to collect samples of food products right from the top wholesale sweet sellers to the street vendors including "Kulche Channe' to check adulteration.
He also asked the health authorities to adopt zero tolerance against preparation and supply of adulterated sweets, cheese and milk based sweets and other eatables.
Mr Jayani directed the food safety officers to keep proper surveillance in the markets to check supply of adulterated sweets and no shopkeeper should be allowed to store sweets in the store houses in abundance. He also asked the officers to raid all possible store houses such as cold stores etc and collect samples of collect samples on regular basis.
The Minister also made public his contact no 9915708000 for the facilitation of general public to register their plaints, if the local health officers were not accessible.
Giving clear instructions to the surveillance teams, Mr Jyani directed them to destroy the seized suspicious and adulterated eatables immediately after seizure in presence of the shop owners. He said requisite penalties should also be imposed on the erring shopkeepers, who were found playing with the lives of people.
He also warned officials that state level teams would also conduct surprise checks across the state to check adulteration and if field officials found not performing their duty properly then the department would take strong action against them also.
State fails to clamp down on chewing tobacco
KOLKATA: Manufacture, storage, and sale of chewing tobacco is banned in the state. But, this might surprise many as gutka, zarda, khaini and tobacco-laced pan masala are available everywhere in West Bengal.
As there was no visible enforcement on the ban for such product that was first notified in May 2013, the state health department has recently put up another notification. But with no steps being taken to implement the prohibition, health rights activists are questioning the government's seriousness.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India issued a regulation in August 2011 banning chewing tobacco under the Food Safety and Regulation Act, 2011. Even before the Act came into existence, Sikkim had implemented a ban on these products. This Act provided teeth to Maharashtra government to ban gutka and other chewing tobacco products effectively. Other states followed suit though not necessarily as effectively as Maharashtra.
After drawing criticism from anti-tobacco organizations, the West Bengal government woke up in May last year to impose the ban for a year. But the prohibition remained only on paper. The second notification signed by state food safety commissioner Godhuli Mukjerjee on the health department website, which was posted on Sepetmeber 29 this year, is actually a continuation of the previous one.
"What ban? No one has ever cautioned us that selling zarda, gutka or pan masala is illegal," said a pan shopkeeper in Esplanade when TOI asked him about the ban.
Most of the people in the state, including the pan shopkeepers, are not even aware that such a ban exists. Apart from uploading the notification of the ban on the health department website, there has not been any visible action on the ground so far. .
"About 90% of oral cancer is caused by consumption of chewing tobacco. The ban in the state has to be implemented effectively. Along with stringent enforcement, the government needs to increase cancer awareness if it wants to make the ban successful," said oncologist Goutam Mukhopadhyay.
The Food Safety and Regulation Act, 2011, arms state governments to ban chewing tobacco products for a year. The ban can be renewed every year and is to be enforced by the state health department, the state food and drug administration and the local police.
Health department officials admitted the poor enforcement and blamed lack of manpower and co-ordination between the enforcing agencies for the failure of implementation of the ban.
"The effort has to be continuous and co-ordination has to be more effective to make the ban successful. We are sensitizing certain departments. Lack of manpower has been a major problem. Recently, the government created around 170 posts for food safety department. Once people are employed in these posts, we hope the implementation of the ban will become more visible," said state health secretary Malay Dey.
As there was no visible enforcement on the ban for such product that was first notified in May 2013, the state health department has recently put up another notification. But with no steps being taken to implement the prohibition, health rights activists are questioning the government's seriousness.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India issued a regulation in August 2011 banning chewing tobacco under the Food Safety and Regulation Act, 2011. Even before the Act came into existence, Sikkim had implemented a ban on these products. This Act provided teeth to Maharashtra government to ban gutka and other chewing tobacco products effectively. Other states followed suit though not necessarily as effectively as Maharashtra.
After drawing criticism from anti-tobacco organizations, the West Bengal government woke up in May last year to impose the ban for a year. But the prohibition remained only on paper. The second notification signed by state food safety commissioner Godhuli Mukjerjee on the health department website, which was posted on Sepetmeber 29 this year, is actually a continuation of the previous one.
"What ban? No one has ever cautioned us that selling zarda, gutka or pan masala is illegal," said a pan shopkeeper in Esplanade when TOI asked him about the ban.
Most of the people in the state, including the pan shopkeepers, are not even aware that such a ban exists. Apart from uploading the notification of the ban on the health department website, there has not been any visible action on the ground so far. .
"About 90% of oral cancer is caused by consumption of chewing tobacco. The ban in the state has to be implemented effectively. Along with stringent enforcement, the government needs to increase cancer awareness if it wants to make the ban successful," said oncologist Goutam Mukhopadhyay.
The Food Safety and Regulation Act, 2011, arms state governments to ban chewing tobacco products for a year. The ban can be renewed every year and is to be enforced by the state health department, the state food and drug administration and the local police.
Health department officials admitted the poor enforcement and blamed lack of manpower and co-ordination between the enforcing agencies for the failure of implementation of the ban.
"The effort has to be continuous and co-ordination has to be more effective to make the ban successful. We are sensitizing certain departments. Lack of manpower has been a major problem. Recently, the government created around 170 posts for food safety department. Once people are employed in these posts, we hope the implementation of the ban will become more visible," said state health secretary Malay Dey.
Diwali festivities begin on unsafe note
Near Diwali, this eating capital of the country is abuzz with activity of the gastronomic kind, with adulteration changing the flavor of traditional sweets.
The city of foodies, which loves to gorge on and share the sweet stuff around the festival, will have to look at the ingredients with caution. Cashing in on the penchant of Amritsar for savory delights, a few unscrupulous elements have carried on with the malicious trend of putting spurious 'khoya' (dried whole milk) and adulterated or synthetic milk in most sweet preparations, earning the city the dubious distinction of recording maximum cases of food adulteration in Punjab.
A raiding team from the district health department seized more than 100 quintal spurious-khoya sweets from a shop at Preet Vihar, Mustafabad, in the outskirts of Amritsar. A few days ago, it had seized five-quintal spurious 'khoya' from another sweetshop along the city's boundary. The health department is shaken into action only around the festival season, while it should be checking food round the year. "Raids are conducted round the year indeed," said district health officer (DHO) Dr Shiv Karan Singh Kahlon, adding: "Four food safety officers and a few class-4 employees are all I have on my team. We need more class-4 workers at least."
He said the team conducted four to five regular raids a month and also special crackdowns based on input. The sweet samples collected were sent to Chandigarh for analysis, and the makers whose samples failed were penalised, the DHO added.
However, he said he had no data on the number of adulteration cases in court, though he added that the department had sanction for legal proceeding in 70 cases. Dr Kahlon said that of the 730 food samples taken since 2010, 245 had failed the purity test.
The samples were collected and tested under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act until Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, came into force in 2011. "After that, 664 samples were collected, 446 under the PFA Act and 198 under new law. Of these, 133 failed the test," said Dr Kahlon.
In 2012, of the 521 samples collected, 95 turned out to be impure. It was the case with 291 samples out of 713 in 2013; and 227 of 512 in 2014, so far.
Distasteful trend
Year Samples collected Samples failed
2010 730 245
2011 664 133
2012 521 95
2013 713 291
2014 512 227
Preparedness
Raiding team strength: One district health officer, four food safety officers, and a few Class-4 employees
Required: More drivers and Class-4 employees
Laboratories available: 1 (only in Chandigarh)
Court cases: Sanction for 70
The city of foodies, which loves to gorge on and share the sweet stuff around the festival, will have to look at the ingredients with caution. Cashing in on the penchant of Amritsar for savory delights, a few unscrupulous elements have carried on with the malicious trend of putting spurious 'khoya' (dried whole milk) and adulterated or synthetic milk in most sweet preparations, earning the city the dubious distinction of recording maximum cases of food adulteration in Punjab.
A raiding team from the district health department seized more than 100 quintal spurious-khoya sweets from a shop at Preet Vihar, Mustafabad, in the outskirts of Amritsar. A few days ago, it had seized five-quintal spurious 'khoya' from another sweetshop along the city's boundary. The health department is shaken into action only around the festival season, while it should be checking food round the year. "Raids are conducted round the year indeed," said district health officer (DHO) Dr Shiv Karan Singh Kahlon, adding: "Four food safety officers and a few class-4 employees are all I have on my team. We need more class-4 workers at least."
He said the team conducted four to five regular raids a month and also special crackdowns based on input. The sweet samples collected were sent to Chandigarh for analysis, and the makers whose samples failed were penalised, the DHO added.
However, he said he had no data on the number of adulteration cases in court, though he added that the department had sanction for legal proceeding in 70 cases. Dr Kahlon said that of the 730 food samples taken since 2010, 245 had failed the purity test.
The samples were collected and tested under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act until Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, came into force in 2011. "After that, 664 samples were collected, 446 under the PFA Act and 198 under new law. Of these, 133 failed the test," said Dr Kahlon.
In 2012, of the 521 samples collected, 95 turned out to be impure. It was the case with 291 samples out of 713 in 2013; and 227 of 512 in 2014, so far.
Distasteful trend
Year Samples collected Samples failed
2010 730 245
2011 664 133
2012 521 95
2013 713 291
2014 512 227
Preparedness
Raiding team strength: One district health officer, four food safety officers, and a few Class-4 employees
Required: More drivers and Class-4 employees
Laboratories available: 1 (only in Chandigarh)
Court cases: Sanction for 70
No check on adulteration of milk in City Beautiful Only 25 of 3,000 vendors registered with food safety cell
Chandigarh, October 16
Even as a major chunk of the city's population is dependent on loose milk supplied by over 3,000 milkmen every day, the Administration seems least concerned about the health of residents. Of the over 3,000 vendors, who supply nearly 30,00,000 litres of milk in the city daily, only 25 are registered with the UT food safety cell while the others have been conveniently giving all regulations the go-by.
Consider this: In the past five years, only 17 samples of milk were collected from local vendors, two of which were found substandard. While officers in the UT food safety cell admitted that mixing water in milk was the most common form of adulteration, records of only two such violations exist in the cell.
According to sources, massive protests held by milkmen in the past during milk sampling has been a deterrent for food safety officers in acting tough with them. “Four years ago, after one of the milk vendors was challaned, the association of vendors held a massive protest. They also stopped the supply of milk to the city,” said a senior official in the UT Health Department.
The supply of packaged milk, largely Verka milk, is close to 3,50,000 litres per day in city.
The local vendors supply milk in aluminum and plastic containers on bicycles, motorbikes and vans.
Food safety cell working under adverse conditions
Of the eight posts of food safety officer, five are lying vacant for the past over five years.
The food safety cell does not have its own dedicated vehicle.
Even for carrying out raids on sweets shops, it has to depend on taxis. The department did not have a qualified and regular designated officer (DO) until January this year. While one designated officer was appointed in January, another one was appointed two months ago.
Milk containers not sent for safe food handling test
In reply to a query posed under the RTI Act, the food safety cell said no containers of milk being used by local vendors were sent for the safe food handling test.
Several milkmen challaned: SSP
Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Maneesh Chaudhary said, “We have issued a significant number of challans to those who carry multiple drums on motorcycles under the Motor Vehicles Act. Apart from overloading, these vendors often end up covering number plates with drums."
Plan to conduct survey on milk vendors: Officer
"We are planning to carry out a survey on milk vendors in the city to find out how many of them move around in the city and the quantity supplied by them."—Dr KS Rana, designated officer of the food safety cell
We charge as per quality, say milkmen
"We provide milk by categorising it on the basis of thickness (fat content). There is no question on quality variation as we charge money as per the quality."—Ajmer Singh Landran, chairman, association of milk vendors
Even as a major chunk of the city's population is dependent on loose milk supplied by over 3,000 milkmen every day, the Administration seems least concerned about the health of residents. Of the over 3,000 vendors, who supply nearly 30,00,000 litres of milk in the city daily, only 25 are registered with the UT food safety cell while the others have been conveniently giving all regulations the go-by.
Consider this: In the past five years, only 17 samples of milk were collected from local vendors, two of which were found substandard. While officers in the UT food safety cell admitted that mixing water in milk was the most common form of adulteration, records of only two such violations exist in the cell.
According to sources, massive protests held by milkmen in the past during milk sampling has been a deterrent for food safety officers in acting tough with them. “Four years ago, after one of the milk vendors was challaned, the association of vendors held a massive protest. They also stopped the supply of milk to the city,” said a senior official in the UT Health Department.
The supply of packaged milk, largely Verka milk, is close to 3,50,000 litres per day in city.
The local vendors supply milk in aluminum and plastic containers on bicycles, motorbikes and vans.
Food safety cell working under adverse conditions
Of the eight posts of food safety officer, five are lying vacant for the past over five years.
The food safety cell does not have its own dedicated vehicle.
Even for carrying out raids on sweets shops, it has to depend on taxis. The department did not have a qualified and regular designated officer (DO) until January this year. While one designated officer was appointed in January, another one was appointed two months ago.
Milk containers not sent for safe food handling test
In reply to a query posed under the RTI Act, the food safety cell said no containers of milk being used by local vendors were sent for the safe food handling test.
Several milkmen challaned: SSP
Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Maneesh Chaudhary said, “We have issued a significant number of challans to those who carry multiple drums on motorcycles under the Motor Vehicles Act. Apart from overloading, these vendors often end up covering number plates with drums."
Plan to conduct survey on milk vendors: Officer
"We are planning to carry out a survey on milk vendors in the city to find out how many of them move around in the city and the quantity supplied by them."—Dr KS Rana, designated officer of the food safety cell
We charge as per quality, say milkmen
"We provide milk by categorising it on the basis of thickness (fat content). There is no question on quality variation as we charge money as per the quality."—Ajmer Singh Landran, chairman, association of milk vendors
HC interference has increased conviction rates of food adulterators
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed all district courts in the state to submit a copy of the order under which conviction of a person, found guilty of selling and distributing adulterated food items, was carried out. This order has increased the conviction rate of food adulterators in the district.A source in the district health department said that nearly 20% cases, pertaining to food adulteration, have been dealt with successfully in district courts. Earlier, the rate of conviction was slow and the cases used to drag on for a long time, but the recent stricture by the High Court has speeded up the trial process.
The source added that in the 20% cases, the conviction rate was nearly 85% and, if this situation continues, the incidence of food adulteration may come down in the state. However, many cases get delayed because the samples, collected by the health department, are sent to the testing facility in Chandigarh and it takes nearly 2 to 3 months to receive the status of the samples.
District health officials have come down heavily on food adulterators in the city and special drives are being conducted to control the supply of adulterated food items in the district in view of the festive season, said Dr RL Bassan, civil surgeon, Jalandhar.
He added, “I have held meetings with prominent sweet shop and bakery owners in the district and have guided them to maintain proper hygiene and supply quality food to the customers. It was also made clear to them that anyone found violating the food safety Act will be dealt with strictly, according to the law.”
The food safety and standards Act 2006 was implemented in the district in November 2010. Since then, the health officials have kept a constant vigil on the supply of food in the district. Frequent raids are carried out to keep the adulterators at bay in the district.
According to the Act, any person, who is engaged in the business of supplying food items in the district, found violating rules, is issued a notice after a sample collected from his shop fails to pass the test.
After that, a period of 90 days is given to him to clarify his position and then action is taken against the person according to the law.
Minor cases invite a fine of a minimum of 25,000 with no fixed upper limit and major violation results in a prison term after conviction by courts.
The number of food adulteration cases increase during the festive season. During festivals, many sweet shop owners use bright colours to decorate their sweets which, at times, are in violation of the food safety Act. “Sweets, prepared specially from milk, have greater chances of adulteration, and we always keep an eye on sweets during the festival season,” said Balwinder Singh, district health officer.
“Even during the ongoing festive season, we have been carrying out frequent raids and, during the last two months, nearly 40 food samples have been taken from various outlets and we are waiting on their test results. Our teams are always on the alert and we are also spreading awareness among the public against food adulteration to curb this malpractice,” he added.
The source added that in the 20% cases, the conviction rate was nearly 85% and, if this situation continues, the incidence of food adulteration may come down in the state. However, many cases get delayed because the samples, collected by the health department, are sent to the testing facility in Chandigarh and it takes nearly 2 to 3 months to receive the status of the samples.
District health officials have come down heavily on food adulterators in the city and special drives are being conducted to control the supply of adulterated food items in the district in view of the festive season, said Dr RL Bassan, civil surgeon, Jalandhar.
He added, “I have held meetings with prominent sweet shop and bakery owners in the district and have guided them to maintain proper hygiene and supply quality food to the customers. It was also made clear to them that anyone found violating the food safety Act will be dealt with strictly, according to the law.”
The food safety and standards Act 2006 was implemented in the district in November 2010. Since then, the health officials have kept a constant vigil on the supply of food in the district. Frequent raids are carried out to keep the adulterators at bay in the district.
According to the Act, any person, who is engaged in the business of supplying food items in the district, found violating rules, is issued a notice after a sample collected from his shop fails to pass the test.
After that, a period of 90 days is given to him to clarify his position and then action is taken against the person according to the law.
Minor cases invite a fine of a minimum of 25,000 with no fixed upper limit and major violation results in a prison term after conviction by courts.
The number of food adulteration cases increase during the festive season. During festivals, many sweet shop owners use bright colours to decorate their sweets which, at times, are in violation of the food safety Act. “Sweets, prepared specially from milk, have greater chances of adulteration, and we always keep an eye on sweets during the festival season,” said Balwinder Singh, district health officer.
“Even during the ongoing festive season, we have been carrying out frequent raids and, during the last two months, nearly 40 food samples have been taken from various outlets and we are waiting on their test results. Our teams are always on the alert and we are also spreading awareness among the public against food adulteration to curb this malpractice,” he added.
Manpower shortage against adulteration
JAIPUR :
Ahead of Diwali, waging a war against food adulteration has become difficult for the government with its limited resources. Due to fund crisis many of the mobile food laboratories have become defunct.
For thousands of shops and lakhs of customers, there are only 77 food inspectors, who can take samples of food products to ensure quality of products being sold ahead of Diwali. Moreover, the mobile laboratories are lying inoperational, which is a big setback for the officials taking on food adulteration. A health department official said, “We do not have funds for mobile laboratories for testing of samples. Mobile laboratories help us testing food on the spot. Now, in the absence of funds, we have to send samples to stationed government laboratories.”
The mobile laboratories can be used for testing of any kind of food products, including spices, dry fruits and milk products. In the entire state, the officials involved in food safety drive, ahead of Diwali, face the same problem, said the official.
The officials who are taking samples are in limited numbers. Health department’s joint director Aditya Atreya said, “We have 77 food inspectors. In Jaipur, there are 11 food inspectors taking samples of food items.”
The population of the state is close to seven crore, but there are only 77 food inspectors in the state.
Moreover, there are seven food laboratories in the state which were closed down due to lack of food analysts, over the past few years. However, the health department continued its drive against food adulteration on its second day and collected samples of chatni (sauce) from a shop in Raja Park and also collected samples of oil from Shyam Doongri area. Chief medical health officer, Jaipur, Dr O P Thankan said, “The owner of the shop was found selling oil in packets with a brand name. He has no license for selling the oil in packets with brand name as he cannot do marketing of it without license. We have served him notice.”
Ahead of Diwali, waging a war against food adulteration has become difficult for the government with its limited resources. Due to fund crisis many of the mobile food laboratories have become defunct.
For thousands of shops and lakhs of customers, there are only 77 food inspectors, who can take samples of food products to ensure quality of products being sold ahead of Diwali. Moreover, the mobile laboratories are lying inoperational, which is a big setback for the officials taking on food adulteration. A health department official said, “We do not have funds for mobile laboratories for testing of samples. Mobile laboratories help us testing food on the spot. Now, in the absence of funds, we have to send samples to stationed government laboratories.”
The mobile laboratories can be used for testing of any kind of food products, including spices, dry fruits and milk products. In the entire state, the officials involved in food safety drive, ahead of Diwali, face the same problem, said the official.
The officials who are taking samples are in limited numbers. Health department’s joint director Aditya Atreya said, “We have 77 food inspectors. In Jaipur, there are 11 food inspectors taking samples of food items.”
The population of the state is close to seven crore, but there are only 77 food inspectors in the state.
Moreover, there are seven food laboratories in the state which were closed down due to lack of food analysts, over the past few years. However, the health department continued its drive against food adulteration on its second day and collected samples of chatni (sauce) from a shop in Raja Park and also collected samples of oil from Shyam Doongri area. Chief medical health officer, Jaipur, Dr O P Thankan said, “The owner of the shop was found selling oil in packets with a brand name. He has no license for selling the oil in packets with brand name as he cannot do marketing of it without license. We have served him notice.”
Awareness campaign on food safety, nutrition
NEW DELHI, OCT 16:
Food processing and packaging solutions provider Tetra Pak today launched ‘Right to Keep Food Safe’ awareness campaign on food safety, nutrition and packaging.
The company also released findings of food safety survey it commissioned, which highlighted low awareness among mothers towards ailments due to consumption of unsafe food and beverages and loss of nutritional content in food due to boiling.
Commenting on the survey findings, Tetra Pak (South Asia Markets) Marketing Director Sumit Khatter said, “The survey shows that while mothers are quite concerned about the food and beverages they consume, there is a clear need for them to have easy access to better information and consequently exercising right choices.”
Along with its awareness campaign, Tetra Pak has also launched an online course called Nutrition Quotient.
“Tetra Pak’s vision is to make food safe and available everywhere for everyone through our aseptic processing and packaging technology which keeps food safe, right up to consumption,” he added.
The food safety survey was conducted by Singapore-based Research Pacific on a sample size of 845 mothers in 8 cities in the country.
Food processing and packaging solutions provider Tetra Pak today launched ‘Right to Keep Food Safe’ awareness campaign on food safety, nutrition and packaging.
The company also released findings of food safety survey it commissioned, which highlighted low awareness among mothers towards ailments due to consumption of unsafe food and beverages and loss of nutritional content in food due to boiling.
Commenting on the survey findings, Tetra Pak (South Asia Markets) Marketing Director Sumit Khatter said, “The survey shows that while mothers are quite concerned about the food and beverages they consume, there is a clear need for them to have easy access to better information and consequently exercising right choices.”
Along with its awareness campaign, Tetra Pak has also launched an online course called Nutrition Quotient.
“Tetra Pak’s vision is to make food safe and available everywhere for everyone through our aseptic processing and packaging technology which keeps food safe, right up to consumption,” he added.
The food safety survey was conducted by Singapore-based Research Pacific on a sample size of 845 mothers in 8 cities in the country.
One in three mothers unsure about food quality: study
New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) One in every three mothers is unsure about the safety and quality of food that she gives to her family, a report said Thursday.
The survey "Conversations With Mothers" food safety survey, commissioned by Tetra Pak - the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions provider - said that mothers are most concerned about the freshness and purity of the food they consume as well as the risk of its adulteration.
Tetra Pak also launched the "Right to Keep Food Safe" - an awareness programme that will empower mothers with knowledge and facts on food safety and nutrition and motivate them to spread the word to many more mothers.
"Food safety is a continuing concern with frequent outbreaks of food-borne diseases due to adulteration, contamination and lack of awareness on how to keep food safe," said Aditi Gowitrikar, doctor, actor and mother of two, who was present at the release of the report.
She said that it was surprising to learn from the survey that over 70 percent mothers do not immediately connect serious diseases such as jaundice, cholera and typhoid with food safety.
"I am glad to lend my support to the Right to Keep Food Safe awareness campaign and I encourage all mothers to take up the NQ course to improve their knowledge and make more informed choices on food safety and nutrition," she added.
The survey "Conversations With Mothers" food safety survey, commissioned by Tetra Pak - the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions provider - said that mothers are most concerned about the freshness and purity of the food they consume as well as the risk of its adulteration.
Tetra Pak also launched the "Right to Keep Food Safe" - an awareness programme that will empower mothers with knowledge and facts on food safety and nutrition and motivate them to spread the word to many more mothers.
"Food safety is a continuing concern with frequent outbreaks of food-borne diseases due to adulteration, contamination and lack of awareness on how to keep food safe," said Aditi Gowitrikar, doctor, actor and mother of two, who was present at the release of the report.
She said that it was surprising to learn from the survey that over 70 percent mothers do not immediately connect serious diseases such as jaundice, cholera and typhoid with food safety.
"I am glad to lend my support to the Right to Keep Food Safe awareness campaign and I encourage all mothers to take up the NQ course to improve their knowledge and make more informed choices on food safety and nutrition," she added.
Antibiotics sold without labels, no checks on poultry farms
Poultry farmers can now afford to count their profits before their chickens hatch -and they are big, weighing on average twice as much as they did 50 years ago.The broiler chicken of today ,a product of controlled breeding, weighs around 2.2kg as compared to 1.2kg before 1960, say veterinarians and chicken farm owners.
Contract farming started in India in the early 1960s, taking over from multi-breed coops with birds of various ages. It involves the industrialized breeding of chickens of the same age and variety .
This method employs im proved feed formulations and vaccination, says R Prabhakaran, former vice-chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. “Selective breeding has increased livability of the birds,“ he said. “Since the 1960s, mortality rate of chickens has reduced from 10% to 2% due to improved nutrition and hygiene in farms.“ The downside of scientific poultry farming is that medication administered to the birds may find their way to the table. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in July showed that one in two chickens in the country had antibiotic contamination. Farms give chickens feed mixed with antibiotics that act as growth promoters. Most stop the antibiotics a few days before slaughter. This allows the birds to flush out the remnants of the antibiotics.
“Farms should ideally not feed birds antibiotics at least 10 days before slaughter,“ Prabhakaran said. Because farms seldom follow this, antibiotic residue in meat passes on to humans. Scientists have shown that large-scale use of antibiotics by the poultry industry has caused antibiotic resistance in people, leaving them vulnerable to a range of bacterial infections.
Chickens also pass on residue of antibiotics through their faeces, which may spread through water and soil and eventually end up in crops.
“Antibiotics are sold without labels across the country .There is no monitoring agency to keep them in check,“ said Amit Khurana of CSE's food safety and toxins department.
Farms earlier prepared chicken feed so that the levels of crude fibre, protein and fat determined the weight and quality of the meat. Contract farming has introduced methods of assessing amino acid levels to produce birds with leaner meat and pinkish pigmentation and more succulent breasts.
Poultry farm owners deny that they use chemicals to produce larger chickens. R Goudhaman, who owns a poultry farm in Erode, says he gives his birds only optimum levels of antibiotics. But he admits that farmhands administer the chickens probiotics and synbiotics to prevent growth of pathogenic microorganisms.
A recent study by University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada revealed that chickens raised in the US poultry farms are four times larger than 50 years ago. A 2007 ban imposed by the Indian government has kept US poultry products out of Indian markets. But the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Tuesday ruled that India's ban, based on fears of bird flu, was discriminatory and gave the government 60 days to appeal the ruling.
India exports chicken and chicken products mainly to the Gulf and African nations.
Contract farming started in India in the early 1960s, taking over from multi-breed coops with birds of various ages. It involves the industrialized breeding of chickens of the same age and variety .
This method employs im proved feed formulations and vaccination, says R Prabhakaran, former vice-chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. “Selective breeding has increased livability of the birds,“ he said. “Since the 1960s, mortality rate of chickens has reduced from 10% to 2% due to improved nutrition and hygiene in farms.“ The downside of scientific poultry farming is that medication administered to the birds may find their way to the table. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in July showed that one in two chickens in the country had antibiotic contamination. Farms give chickens feed mixed with antibiotics that act as growth promoters. Most stop the antibiotics a few days before slaughter. This allows the birds to flush out the remnants of the antibiotics.
“Farms should ideally not feed birds antibiotics at least 10 days before slaughter,“ Prabhakaran said. Because farms seldom follow this, antibiotic residue in meat passes on to humans. Scientists have shown that large-scale use of antibiotics by the poultry industry has caused antibiotic resistance in people, leaving them vulnerable to a range of bacterial infections.
Chickens also pass on residue of antibiotics through their faeces, which may spread through water and soil and eventually end up in crops.
“Antibiotics are sold without labels across the country .There is no monitoring agency to keep them in check,“ said Amit Khurana of CSE's food safety and toxins department.
Farms earlier prepared chicken feed so that the levels of crude fibre, protein and fat determined the weight and quality of the meat. Contract farming has introduced methods of assessing amino acid levels to produce birds with leaner meat and pinkish pigmentation and more succulent breasts.
Poultry farm owners deny that they use chemicals to produce larger chickens. R Goudhaman, who owns a poultry farm in Erode, says he gives his birds only optimum levels of antibiotics. But he admits that farmhands administer the chickens probiotics and synbiotics to prevent growth of pathogenic microorganisms.
A recent study by University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada revealed that chickens raised in the US poultry farms are four times larger than 50 years ago. A 2007 ban imposed by the Indian government has kept US poultry products out of Indian markets. But the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Tuesday ruled that India's ban, based on fears of bird flu, was discriminatory and gave the government 60 days to appeal the ruling.
India exports chicken and chicken products mainly to the Gulf and African nations.
Soon, grapes with ‘residue-free’ logo for domestic buyers
SUMMARY
The National Research Centre for Grapes (NRC) plans to begin a huge branding...
The National Research Centre for Grapes (NRC) plans to begin a huge branding effort this season onwards, telling domestic consumers that the grapes purchased by them are 'residue free' . This means that grapes which have been certified by the laboratories approved by Apeda will henceforth bear a logo on the box which says the product is residue-free, said SD Sawant, director, NRC. Until now, this effort was restricted to grapes meant for export. Indian grapes have to undergo around seven laboratory tests before being considered eligible for European markets.
"Several consumers are not happy eating grapes since they fear that a lot of pesticides have gone into production of the crop. We want to remove this stigma," Sawant explained. Farmers are also realising that a certificate of this nature will help them get better returns, he said. NRC has written to Maharashtra State Grape Growers Association (MSGGA) seeking a tie-up on this effort and the association has responded positively.
According to Ashok Gaikwad, president of the association, the ‘residue-free’ logo will build up the image of farmers and enable them to make more money. The association has written to the Centre seeking subsidy on the certification process for a certain period, As of now, only farmers who export grapes get 50% subsidy on the certification process. While this is not mandatory, work can begin on a small percentage of the grape produce which can increase awareness among farmers. Gaikwad said work on the design of the logo has begun and the effort is likely to begin this harvest season, which starts from January.
Both NRC and the association have begun awareness programmes in Nashik, Satara, Sangli and Solapur, the main grape growing regions of Maharashtra, for farmers and will also tie up with Food Safety Standards Authority of India ( FSSAI). " I want to tell people that grape is the first crop in the country for which residue monitoring is done. Apeda has put in place a process to help Indian exporters on this issue. However, the farmers selling grapes in the domestic market also need to tell consumers that the quality of their product is good," Sawant said.
The National Research Centre for Grapes (NRC) plans to begin a huge branding effort this season onwards, telling domestic consumers that the grapes purchased by them are 'residue free' . This means that grapes which have been certified by the laboratories approved by Apeda will henceforth bear a logo on the box which says the product is residue-free, said SD Sawant, director, NRC. Until now, this effort was restricted to grapes meant for export. Indian grapes have to undergo around seven laboratory tests before being considered eligible for European markets.
"Several consumers are not happy eating grapes since they fear that a lot of pesticides have gone into production of the crop. We want to remove this stigma," Sawant explained. Farmers are also realising that a certificate of this nature will help them get better returns, he said. NRC has written to Maharashtra State Grape Growers Association (MSGGA) seeking a tie-up on this effort and the association has responded positively.
According to Ashok Gaikwad, president of the association, the ‘residue-free’ logo will build up the image of farmers and enable them to make more money. The association has written to the Centre seeking subsidy on the certification process for a certain period, As of now, only farmers who export grapes get 50% subsidy on the certification process. While this is not mandatory, work can begin on a small percentage of the grape produce which can increase awareness among farmers. Gaikwad said work on the design of the logo has begun and the effort is likely to begin this harvest season, which starts from January.
Both NRC and the association have begun awareness programmes in Nashik, Satara, Sangli and Solapur, the main grape growing regions of Maharashtra, for farmers and will also tie up with Food Safety Standards Authority of India ( FSSAI). " I want to tell people that grape is the first crop in the country for which residue monitoring is done. Apeda has put in place a process to help Indian exporters on this issue. However, the farmers selling grapes in the domestic market also need to tell consumers that the quality of their product is good," Sawant said.
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