ஆன்லைன் மூலம் உணவு விற்பனை உரிமம் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு ஆணையர் தகவல்

புதுச்சேரி, டிச. 11:

புதுவை மாநில உணவு பாதுகாப்பு ஆணையர் கந்தவேலு வெளியிட்டுள்ள செய்தி குறிப்பு:

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை 3.1.2014 முதல் இணையம் மூலம் உணவு உரிமம் மற்றும் பதிவு வழங்கி வருகிறது. வணிகர்கள் ஒரு ஆண்டிற்கு உரிமமோ, பதிவோ பெற்று இருந்தால், அதை இந்த மாதம் முதல் புதுப்பிக்க வேண்டும். ஒவ்வொரு உரிமம்/பதிவும் காலாவதி தேதிக்கு 60 தினங்களுக்கு முன்னதாக புதுப்பிக்க தகுதி வாய்ந்தது. 31வது நாளில் இருந்து 60வது நாட்களுக்குள்ளாக புதுப்பிக்கும் போது ஒவ்வொரு நாளுக்கும் ரூ.100 மற்றும் ரூ.30 உணவு உரிமத்திற்கு மற்றும் பதிவிற் கும் அபராத தொகையாக வசூலிக்கப்படுகிறது.

அனைத்து புதுப்பித்தல் பணி இணைய தளம் மூலம் கட்டுப்படுத்தப்படுவதால், 31வது நாளில் இருந்து 60 நாட்களுக்குள்ளாக உரிமம், பதிவு புதுப்பித்தலின்போது அபராத தொகை கட்டாமல் புதுப்பிக்க இயலாது. எனவே, காலாவதி தேதிக்கு ஒரு மாதத்திற்கு முன்பே உரிமத்தை புதுப்பித்து கொள்ளுமாறு கேட்டுக்கொள்ளப்படுகிறது.

பிராந்தி, விஸ்கி, ரம், ஒயின், பீர் போன்ற மதுபானங்களும் உணவு பாது காப்பு மற்றும் தரங்கள் சட்டத்தின் படி உணவு பொரு ளாக கருதப்படுகிறது. எனவே, மதுபானங்களை கையாளும் உணவு வணிகர்கள் அனை வரும் கலால் உரிமம் பெறு வது மட்டுமில்லாமல் உணவு உரிமம் பெறுவதும் கட்டாயமாகிறது. இறைச்சி கடைகள், திருமண மண்டபங்கள், அன்னதானம் வழங்கும் இறை தலங்கள், உணவு எடுத்து செல்லும் போக்குவரத்து வாகனங் கள், உணவகங்கள், தள்ளு வண்டிகள் போன்ற அனைவரும் உணவு உரிமம் மற்றும் பதிவு எடுப்பது அவசியமாகிறது. தகுதி படைத்த பதிவு சான்றாளர்களுக்கு அடையாள அட்டை இத்துறை மூலம் வழங்கப்படுகிறது.

குட்கா, பான்மசாலா மற் றும் நிக்கோட்டின் அல் லது புகையிலை பொருட் களை உணவு பண்டங்களில் சேர்த்து தயாரிப்பது, சேமிப்பது, விநியோகம் மற்றும் விற்பனை செய்வது முற்றிலும் தடை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. தடை செய்யப்பட்ட இத்தகைய பொருட் களை கையாள வேண்டாம் என உணவு வணிகர்கள் அறிவுறுத்தப்படுகிறார்கள். மாறாக சட்டத்தை மீறுபவர்கள் மீதும் கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுப்பதோடு, அதிகபட்சமாக ரூ.5 லட்சம் வரை அபராதம் விதிக்க வழியுண்டு என்று எச்சரிக்கப்படுகிறது.

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்ட விதிகளின்படி பொட்டலத்தில் அடைத்து விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் அனைத்து உணவு பண்டங்களின் மீது உற்பத்தி தேதி, காலாவதி தேதி, தொகுதி எண் போன்ற விபரங்கள் குறிப்பிட வேண்டும். மேலும், 2.1.2015க்கு பின்பு அனைத்து பொட்டலங்களிலும் உரிம எண் குறிப்பிட்டு இருப்பது அவசியம். உரிமம், பதிவு பெற கடைசி நாளான 4.2.2015 வரை காத்திராமல், அனைத்து உணவு வணிகர்களும் உரிமம் மற்றும் பதிவு பெற முன்வருமாறு கேட்டுக்கொள்ளப்படுகிறது.

எந்தவொரு உணவு வணிகரும் நகராட்சி அல் லது பஞ்சாயத்து உரிமம் பெறுவதற்கு முன் உணவு உரிமம், பதிவு பெறுவது கட்டாயமாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரங்கள் சட்டம் 2006 வழக்கம் போல் நடைமுறையில் உள்ளது.

இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறியுள்ளார்.

Comprehensively reviewing food safety act, government tell SC

New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) The central government Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it was engaged in the exercise of giving a comprehensive relook to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, in light of its orders and the representation received from the public.

Allowing the government six weeks more to complete the exercise it has undertaken, a bench of Justice M.Y.Eqbal and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh told it to do it seriously and expeditiously.

The court said this as counsel Anurag Tomar appearing for the petitioner Swamy Achyutanand Tirth told the court that the orders for a review of the FSSA was passed a year ago but things are moving at snail's pace.

As counsel Indira Sahni appearing for the government told the court about the efforts that are being made, the court said they should also look into making penal provision that would have deterring effect on those indulging in adulteration.

The government in its affidavit before the court said that the parliamentary standing committee on Health and Family Welfare too has recommended taking immediate measures to deal with the incidents of rampant adulteration of food items in the country.

The committee has also urged the government to give more teeth to the FSSA, 2006, and the Food Authority constituted under it to tackle these incidents.

The court in the last hearing of the matter on Nov 11 had said: "We hope and trust that in the coming winter session of parliament, government will take appropriate steps in this direction (of amending FSSA, 2006)."

The apex court by its February 2014 order had said: "Considering the gravity of the situation as well as in larger public interest it is highly necessary that Union of India should think of making appropriate amendments in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, so that such type of crimes could be curbed to a large extent."

The court had said this taking into consideration a report by the Dehradun based Himalayan Institute of Medical Science which said that milk samples which were tested indicated that all the milk samples including double toned milk collected from different places showed presence of urea and detergents as common adulterants.

Swamy Achyutanand Tirth has moved the apex court seeking its intervention to curb the large scale adulteration of milk including production and sale of synthetic milk.

Food Safety Soon in School Syllabus

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister V S Sivakumar told the Assembly on Wednesday that a decision on including food safety in school syllabus will be taken after holding consultations with the Education Minister.

“The Health Department is of the view that food safety should be included in the syllabus. A decision can only be taken after discussing the matter with the Education Minister,” he said during the question hour.

Stating that food safety offices have been opened at all the 140 constituencies, Sivakumar said that 57 vacancies had to be filled in these offices. Once the posts are filled, the offices would have a greater role in ensuring safety of food, he said.

On a question regarding chemicals used in fish for preserving it, Sivakumar said that the government was aware that certain chemicals were used in fish for preservation.

However, no action has been taken against such activities, he added. He said that the government was aware that formalin was used as a preservative.

Sivakumar also said that no study has been conducted on the harmful effects of using such chemicals. The Minister said that the Analytical Labs at Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode and the Central Lab at Kochi had facilities for testing chemical contents in fish samples.

On increasing reports of pesticide-laden vegetables and fruits, he said that the tests on vegetable and fruit samples did not show pesticides above the levels envisaged by the food safety standards.

And, as such, no case has been registered against any wholesale or retail dealer in the state. The Minister said that steps have been taken to conduct tests on more vegetable and fruit samples.

Two Food Safety Labs to be Modernised

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hamstrung by inadequate facilities for analysing food samples, the Commissionerate of Food Safety is looking to equip two of its laboratories with advanced equipment.

Tenders have been floated for procuring the equipment for performing GC-MS/MS analysis at the labs in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam, Food Safety Commissioner T V Anupama said.

‘’We are procuring the equipment through the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL). The equipment will cost around Rs 1 crore,’’ Anupama said.

‘’Now we don’t have such facilities in our labs, but the equipment that we are procuring will serve our purposes in detecting major health hazard-causing residues in fruits and vegetables and other food items,’’ she said.

Recently, the State Government had decided to form an authority by the Food Safety Commissioner to ensure that pesticide-ridden fruits and vegetables do not get imported into the state. In the light of this decision, the Commissionerate had also decided to step up inspections.

At present, the Commissionerate depends on the lab of the Kerala Agriculture University (KAU) in Vellayani here for testing food samples.

However, the cost is prohibitive - Rs 8000 per sample.

The Commissionerate has requested Kerala Agricultural University to reduce the rate to around Rs 4000, but even that is considered too high for getting a single sample analysed.

Guidelines for bakeries for Christmas

The Food Safety Commissioner has issued guidelines for food business operators in view of the spurt in demand for bakery items during the forthcoming Christmas season.

An official pressnote quoting the commissioner on Wednesday said many bakeries were using spurious raw materials and unpermitted additives and colours to make cakes, chips, and other food items. This, it said, was a criminal offence inviting punishment of six months imprisonment and up to Rs.5,00,000 as fine.

The guidelines specify the use of good quality raw materials and permitted preservatives and colours. Newspapers are not be used in the manufacture of cakes and other items and employees are to maintain cleanliness.

Violation of the guidelines would invite prosecution, the pressnote said.

Licence seekers prefer cyber cafes

REGISTRATION UNDER FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS ACT

Bathinda, December 10

A number of shopkeepers selling food items are facing difficulties in getting themselves registered online under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Besides the registration, the shopkeepers have to get the licence issued under the Act following which they have to spend money for filling the online forms at cyber cafés.

Mandatory under the Act, about 750 shopkeepers have got themselves registered in the city, while many others are in the process of registration and to get the requisite licence issued.

The fee of the licence under the Food Safety and Standard Authority of Indian (FSSAI) has to be submitted by the applicant.

For online registration and filling of forms for the licence, officials of the department concerned have been filling the forms but due to the rush of the applicants, many residents prefer private cyber cafés to get the licences issued as soon as possible.

For the online facility, applicants can log on to the designated website foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in, where they will have to register as users after furnishing details of the business. After that a requisite fee has to be paid as per the government order.

Then the applicant has to fill up the form to seek the registration and get the licence issued and upload scanned copies of the required documents on the website.

Even after the online facility, the applicants have to send documents and receipt through registered post to the office of District Health Officer. After getting the application through online mode, health workers visits the shops or manufacturing units for verification of the premises.

Operators involved in the food bussiness with an annual turnover above Rs 12 crore must have a licence and those who earn less than Rs 12 crore a year must get a registration certificate, as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

“The process is complicated on internet following which the shopkeepers and other applicants approach cyber cafe owners who demand an amount of Rs 1,000 for filling the forms. Due to the shortage of staff and computers at government offices, many residents opt to go to private shops to get themselves registered as the deadline has crossed,” said Mohan Lal, a shopkeeper.

The eateries, roadside fast food shops, joints, hotels, stall holders, restaurants, canteens, dhabas, food carts, sweetshops, tea stalls, grocery stores, meat and milk sellers besides other shops dealing with eatables in the district have to get themselves registered.

Antibiotics in chicken: MPs question government on action taken after CSE study

Animal husbandry department issues a new advisory on antibiotic use in chickens

 On the pretext of preventing diseases, poultry farmers use antibiotics in feed to fatten the birds. There is no way to differentiate between disease prevention and growth promotion (Photo: Vikas Choudhary)

The study by Delhi non-profit Centre for Science and Environment that found antibiotic residues in chicken found mention in the current session of Parliament when Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh sought some answers from the Union Ministry of Agriculture on December 5. Singh asked about the action taken by the ministry after CSE research revealed that 40 per cent of chicken samples tested in Delhi-NCR contained residues of antibiotics.

Union agriculture Minister of Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh said, in a written statement, that an advisory had already been issued by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DADF) on June 3 this year, discouraging the use of antibiotics in animal feed and maintaining of withdrawal periods.

Another circular was issued by the DADF on December 2 to the heads of the animal husbandry departments in states and Union Territories. It acknowledges the presence of residues of ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, doxycycline, oxytetracycline and chlortetracycline in poultry meat. The same antibiotics were detected in the chicken samples in the CSE study.

The December circular says antibiotics should not be allowed for use in feed/feed supplements. It also suggests limiting antibiotic use in food-producing animals through measures such as encouraging strict biosecurity measures and alternate growth promoters, registration and licensing of antibiotics, and education of veterinarians and poultry farmers on the ill effects of indiscriminate use of antibiotics.

The circular, however, has a major loophole. It states that antibiotics for prophylaxis/metaphylaxis (prevention of disease) may be used under the supervision of veterinarians. The CSE report suggests that the practice of using antibiotics for mass disease prevention (one of the non-therapeutic uses of antibiotics; the other is growth promotion) contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance (ABR) and all non-therapeutic use of antibiotics should be banned. A policy paper published by the National Academy of Sciences also acknowledges the grave threat to human and animal health due to the transfer of ABR via the environment.

According to CSE, ABR, as a public health concern, is not limited to the presence of antibiotic residues in meat. It also relates to the creation of reservoirs of resistant bacteria from the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry. Resistant bacteria can be transferred from food-producing animals to humans through food, direct contact and through the environment.

While the advisory issued by DADF asks the state animal husbandry departments to limit ABR resulting from antibiotic use in food-producing animals, it has left the implementation of measures to them.

No standards for antibiotic use in poultry and cattle

On November 28, Vinod Kumar Boianapalli and Kambhampati Hari Babu, MPs from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively, raised a question on chemical and antibiotic residues in animals in the Lok Sabha (as an unstarred question). The question sought details of regulation and monitoring mechanisms to monitor these residues in poultry and other cattle reared for meat. In reply, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda mentioned the limits for antibiotics and other pharmacologically active substances for fishery products instead.

It is important to note that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has no such standards for poultry or cattle meat. Standards are in place only for seafood. Moreover, FSSAI, in 2010, notified tolerance limits for only four antibiotics—tetracycline, oxytetracycline, trimethoprim and oxonilic acid—in fish and fishery products.

Unregulated access to antibiotics

The same day, Raksha Nikhil Khadse and Prem Singh Chandumajra, MPs from Maharashtra and Punjab respectively, asked in the Lok Sabha (as a starred question) the total quantity and value of antibiotics imported from China and other countries during the current year and the last three years. They also asked about the mechanisms put in place by the government to ensure the quality of imported drugs.

In the statement laid on the table of the Lok Sabha, minister Nadda provided data on the import of bulk drug (antibiotics). According to this data, it is understood that the quantity of bulk drug (antibiotics, in kg) imported from China comprised more than 90 per cent of the total bulk drug imported by India in 2014 (up to November 20, 2014).

CSE, during its field research, obtained antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and doxycycline in kilograms without a prescription. They were unlabelled and had no expiry date, which means they could have been manufactured in India or imported from another country. It exposed the lacunae in the implementation of governmental regulations on the import and sale of antibiotics.