உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தை உறுதிப்படுத்த வேண்டும்: சீன கலப்பட அரிசிக்கு எதிராக வழக்கு தொடர்ந்த டெல்லி வழக்கறிஞர் பேட்டி

நம் நாட்டின் உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புச் சட்டம் திருத்தப்பட்டு, உறுதியாக்கப்பட வேண்டும் என்று, சீன கலப்பட அரிசிக்கு எதிராக டெல்லி உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் வழக்கு தொடர்ந்த மூத்த வழக்கறிஞர் சுக்ரீவா துபே கூறியுள்ளார்.

குடிநீர், உணவுப் பொருட்கள், தாவரங்கள் போன்றவற்றின் பாது காப்பு தொடர்பாக கடந்த 25 ஆண்டு களாக 500-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட பொது நல வழக்குகளை இவர் தொடர்ந் துள்ளார். 74 வயதான சுக்ரீவா துபே, இந்திய கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சியின் அரசியல் குழு உறுப்பினர். உணவுப் பொருட்களில் கலப்படம் குறித்து ‘தி இந்து’வின் கேள்விகளுக்கு விளக்கமாக பதில் அளித்தார்.

சீனாவில் இருந்து இறக்குமதி செய் யப்படும் அரிசியில் பிளாஸ்டிக் கலந்திருப்பதாக நீங்கள் கண்டு பிடித்தது எப்படி?

ஆந்திராவில் இருந்து என்னை சந்திக்க வந்த எங்கள் கட்சியை சேர்ந்த ஏழை விவசாயி ஒருவர் பேச்சுவாக்கில் இதை என்னிடம் கூறினார். இதைக்கேட்டு அதிர்ச்சி யடைந்த நான் மேலும் விசாரித் தேன். இதில் உருளை, சர்க்கரை வள்ளிக் கிழங்கு 60 சதவீதமும் பிளாஸ்டிக் (கண்களுக்கு அழகாக தெரியும் வகையில் உருவம் கொடுக்க) 40 சதவீதமும் கலந்து போலி அரிசி தயாரிக்கப்படுவது தெரியவந்தது. தைவானுக்கு அருகிலுள்ள சோன்ஜி மாவட்டத் தில் இந்த போலி அரிசி தயாரிக்கப் படுவதாகவும், இங்கு சீனர்கள் தவிர வெளிநாட்டினர் எவரும் அனுமதிக்கப்படுவதில்லை எனவும் தெரியவந்துள்ளது.

நீங்கள் கூறுவதை பார்த்தால் அது அரிசியே இல்லை என்று தெரிகிறது. இதை மக்கள் கண்டுபிடிக்க முடியாதா?

உணவுப் பரிசோதனைக் கூடங் களால் மட்டுமே இதை கண்டு பிடிக்க முடியும். ஏனெனில், தனி யாக இறக்குமதி செய்யப்படுவதை அப்படியே விற்பனை செய்யாமல், அதிக விலை கொண்ட உயர்ரக அரிசியில் கலந்து விற்கப்படுகிறது. இது, குறிப்பாக தென்னிந்திய மாநிலங்களில் அதிலும் தமிழகம் மற்றும் ஆந்திராவில் அதிகமாக கலப்படம் செய்து விற்கப்படுகிறது.

பொதுமக்களுக்கு தரமான உணவு கிடைக்கச் செய்வது அரசின் கடமை. இதை உண்பவர் கள் மெல்ல, மெல்ல புற்றுநோயால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு உயிரிழக்கும் ஆபத்து உள்ளது.

பருப்பு வகைகளிலும் கலப்படம் இருப்பதாக கூறுகிறீர்களே?

இது பல ஆண்டுகளாக நடந்து வருகிறது. இதன் மீது நான் கடந்த 2009 ஏப்ரலில் டெல்லி உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் மனு தாக்கல் செய் திருந்தேன். இதைத் தொடர்ந்து டெல்லியின் பல்வேறு இடங்களில் சோதனை நடத்தி கலப்பட பருப்பு வகைகள் கைப்பற்றப்பட்டன. ஆனால், அதன் மீது முறையான நடவடிக்கை இல்லாததால் மீண்டும் தொடர்கிறது. இவற்றை கண்களை கவரும் வகையில் பாலிஷ் செய்து விற்பதன் ரகசியமே கலப்படம் தான். இத்துடன் கால் நடைகள் உணவுக்காக பயிர் செய் யப்படும் ஒருவகை பருப்பு வகை களை இத்துடன் கலந்து விடுகிறார் கள். இது சீனாவில் இருந்தும் இறக்குமதி செய்யப்படுகிறது. ஆனால் சீனாவில் மட்டும் இவ்வாறு விற்பனை செய்யப்படுவதில்லை. பிற நாட்டினரை இவர்கள் மனிதர்களாக நினைப்பதில்லை.

இந்த பட்டியலில் பழங்களையும் சேர்த்துள்ளீர்களே?

காய்கள் தானாகப் பழுக்கும் வரை நமது வியாபாரிகளுக்கு பொறுமை இல்லை. டெல்லியின் ஆசாத்பூர் மண்டி அருகே உள்ள கிராமத்தில் ஓர் ஆபத்தான ரசா யனத்தை நீரில் கலக்கிறார்கள். இதில் வாழையை மூழ்கி எடுத்தால் ஒரே இரவில் பழுத்து விடும். அதன் முனைகளில் உள்ள லேசான கருப்பு காயம் இதற்கு சாட்சி. ஒரே வண்டியில் ஏற்றப்படும் மாம்பழங் கள் அனைத்தும் ஒரேவித நிறத்தில் பழுத்துக் காணப்படுவதும் ரசாயனத்தின் தாக்கமே.

வேறு எந்த உணவுப் பொருட்களில் கலப்படம் உள்ளது என எண்ணுகிறீர்கள்?

மிளகில், பப்பாளியின் விதை களை கலர் செய்து கலக்கின்றனர். சுத்தமான கடுகு எண்ணெய் 10 சதவீதம் கூட கிடையாது.

மிளகாய், மஞ்சள், தனியா தூள் களில் செங்கற்களை நைசாக அரைத்து நிறம் மாற்றி கலக்கப் படுகிறது. கோவா மற்றும் பன்னீரி லும் கலப்படம் தான். சாதாரண நாட்களில் ஒரு 5 டன் சப்ளையாகும் இவை விழாக் காலங்களில் மட்டும் 50 டன் அளவுக்கு கிடைப்பது எப்படி?

உபயோகப்படுத்தப்பட்ட டீ தூளை டெல்லியின் குப்பைகளில் காண முடியாது. காரணம் அது மீண்டும் நிறம் ஏற்றப்பட்டு சந்தைக்கு வந்து விடுகிறது. இதற் காக, பழைய டீ தூள் காசு கொடுத்து வாங்கப்படுகிறது. காபியில் இது முடியாது என்பதால் இதை அதிகமாகப் பயன்படுத்தும் தென்னிந்தியர்கள் தப்பியுள்ளனர். தங்கத்தை கூட கலப்படக்காரர்கள் விட்டு வைக்கவில்லை. இவற்றின் தரம் 22 காரட் தான் என எளிதாக அளவிடும் கருவிகள் குறைந்த விலையில் சந்தையில் கிடைக்கத் தொடங்கினால் உண்மை வெளி யாகி பெரும்பாலானவர்கள் பிடி படுவார்கள். இந்த அத்தனை பிரச்சினைகள் மீதும் தேசிய அள வில் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க கோரி உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் பொதுநல வழக்கு தொடர உள்ளேன்.

நம் நாட்டில் கலப்படங்கள் மீதான சோதனை எந்த அளவில் உள்ளது?

டெல்லியில் சோதனை நடத்த என் போன்றவர்கள் உயர் நீதி மன்றத்தில் மனு செய்யவேண்டிய நிலைதான் உள்ளது. இதன்மூலம் மக்களிடம் விழிப்புணர்வு கிடைக் கிறதே தவிர தீர்வு இல்லை. கலப் படப் பொருட்கள் பிடிபட்ட பிறகும் அவை உடனடியாக பரி சோதனைக் கூடங்களுக்கு அனுப் பப்படுவதில்லை.அதற்குள் கைப் பற்றப்பட்ட பொருட்கள் மாற்றப் பட்டு விடுகின்றன. இதற்கு சாதக மான வகையில் நம் நாட்டில் மிக, மிக குறைந்த எண்ணிக்கையில்தான் பரிசோதனைக் கூடங்கள் உள்ளன.

இதற்காக நீங்கள் அரசுக்கு கூறும் ஆலோசனை என்ன?

நாட்டின் ஒவ்வொரு மாநிலத்திலும் மத்திய பரிசோதனைக் கூடங்கள் குறைந்தது மூன்று அமைக்க வேண்டும். கலப்படத்தில் பிடிபடும் பொருட்கள் அதே இடத்தில் சோதனை செய்யப்பட வேண்டும். உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தின் கீழ் அதிகபட்ச தண்டனை தற்போது 6 மாதங்கள் தான். இதை 7 ஆண்டுகளாக்குவது உட்பட பல்வேறு மாற்றங்களுடன் அச்சட்டம் உறுதிப்படுத்தப்பட வேண்டும்.

கலப்பட ஆபத்தில் இருந்து பொதுமக்கள் உடனடியாக தப்பிக்க என்ன வழி?

பளபளக்கும் அரிசி, பருப்பு வகைகளை உண்பதை நிறுத்த வேண்டும். பாலீஷ் செய்யப்படாத பொருட்களை கேட்டு வாங்கவேண்டும். காய்கறிகளை சுடுநீரில் கொதிக்க வைத்த பின் சமைக்க வேண்டும். இதனால் இதில் கலந்திருக்கும் ரசாயனங்கள் ஓரளவு விலகிவிடும். கலப்படம் குறித்து தெரிந்தால் புகார் செய்ய தைரியமாக முன்வர வேண்டும். நான் உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் மனு செய்ததால் தான் இன்று தமிழகம் போன்ற சில மாநிலங்களில் மழைநீர் சேமிப்பு ஓரளவு கடைப்பிடிக்கப்படுகிறது.

மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் தடை செய்யப்பட்டிருப்பது குறித்து உங்கள் கருத்து?

நகர மக்களின் உணவு என்பதால் இதில் உடனடியான நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. கிராமப்புற ஏழைகளின் உணவு என்றால் அக்கறை செலுத்தப்பட்டிருக்காது. நம் நாட்டில் உண்மையான கறுப்பு பணம் இந்த கலப்படக்காரர்களிடம் தான் உள்ளது. இவற்றில் ஒரு பங்கு அரசியல் கட்சிகளுக்கு நன்கொடையாகி விடுவதால் அவற்றில் ஆட்சிக்கு வரும் எந்த அரசும் இப்பிரச்சினையில் தீவிர கவனம் செலுத்துவதில்லை.

FSSAI urges Bombay High Cout to recall its order allowing exports of Maggi

A bench of Justices V M Kanade and B P Colabawalla deferred the hearing to July 17 after asking Nestle India to file an affidavit on an application by FSSAI seeking recall of the June 30 High Court order allowing export of Maggi.

MUMBAI: The Food Saftey and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which had issued notice banning Maggi noodles manufactured by Nestle India, today urged the Bombay High Court to recall its "order" allowing the company to export this instant food snack instead of destroying it.

A bench of Justices V M Kanade and B P Colabawalla deferred the hearing to July 17 after asking Nestle India to file an affidavit on an application by FSSAI seeking recall of the June 30 High Court order allowing export of Maggi. 

The court was hearing a petition filed by Nestle India challenging the order of June 5 passed by FSSAI banning nine variants of the popular instant food snack. It had also questioned a similar order by Maharashtra government prohibiting the sale of the same products on the ground that they were unsafe and harmful for the health of people. 

FSSAI Counsel Mahmood Pracha said the food regulatory body had suggested at the last hearing that instead of Nestle destroying the product, the High Court may allow the export of Maggi if the company felt that it was safe for consumption. 

However, Nestle was still destroying the product as perhaps it felt that it was not safe (for consumption), he said. The company was manufacturing a fresh batch of product and exporting that, he added. 

Elaborating further, he said Nestle was not exporting Maggi which was to be destroyed but it was manfucturing fresh batch of food snack for exports. Certainly, the High Court had not allowed this, he said. 

They are burning Maggi and thereby destroying evidence, alleged Pracha. "Why is Nestle not exporting the product instead of destroying them?", he said. "We had not asked them to burn Maggi product and instead had suggested that they may export it," FSSAI counsel said. 

Senior Counsel, Darius Khambata, appearing for Maharashtra government, said "if they (Nestle) want to manfacture Maggi and sell the product in India then they have to comply with our (Indian) standards. 

Pracha also said that FSSAI had sent several e-mails to Nestle seeking details about recalling the product from the market but the company had not given any response. 

He also complained that the company on its website had written under the caption "Maggi is safe" that the Bombay High Court had allowed exports of the product. 

Iqbal Chhagla, Nestle's Counsel, however, denied FSSAI's allegation that the company had declared on website that Maggi was safe and the High Court had allowed exports. 

Pracha said Nestle was "burning" the banned Maggi product because the company knew that no one will buy the snack either in India or outside. "We have issued notice to the company to show cause why Maggi should not be banned." 

Iqbal Chhagla said that the food regulator was not concerned about the health of people outside India. 

The HC had earlier refused to grant relief to Nestle by rejecting its plea for stay of the orders of the food regulator banning nine variants of Maggi noodles. 

The court was of the view that Maggi products had already been withdrawn by the company from the shops and hence, there was no need to grant a stay on the ban. 

The HC had also held that the authorities were entitled to prosecute the company in case of procedural lapses and if they were not satisfied with the reply of Nestle to the food authorities. However, if Nestle was to be prosecuted, the Judges asked the authorities to give 72 hours notice to the company which had filed an appeal against the orders. 

In its affidavit, FSSAI justified its June 5 ban on Nestle India's '2-minute Maggi noodles' and questioned the company's safety claims. 

FSSAI contended that the "present situation has arisen only because the company has failed to adhere to its own declared policy and principles". 

Barring the fact that Nestle has been manufacturing and selling Maggi for the last 30 years, its other claims of having in place "strict food safety and quality control at all Maggi factories..." is "incorrect", the FSSAI affidavit said. 

"If for the sake of argument it is presumed that all the safety claims regarding its manufacturing activities and processes are true, then the widespread presence of lead, a known poison, in its products can only be presumed to be intentional. It is impossible that such high levels of lead can escape the scrutiny of a reasonably well-equipped laboratory," FSSAI argued. 

Nestle submitted that the ban was "unauthorised, arbitrary, unconstitutional" and had violated principles of natural justice since it was not allowed a proper hearing. 

FSSAI denied all the contentions and said the company was given a hearing and a notice was issued to Nestle to show cause why its products, which are non-standardised and require government approvals in law, should be approved in future. 

"The fact that the petitioners have refrained from filing chart summary test reports and results conducted on Maggi since October 2014 can only create suspicion," it said.

HC posts Nestle plea against Maggi ban on July 17

MUMBAI: On Tuesday, the Bombay high court adjourned Nestle India's challenge to ban on Maggi noodles for hearing and final disposal to July 17. 

The court had earlier fixed July 20 as the next date but changed it to July 17 as Maharashtra state's new special counsel Darius Khambata would be available too that day. The court continued its interim orders of no stay on the ban and the 72-hour notice before taking any coercive steps. 

The company had hit back at FSSAI for its June 5 ban on the popular 2-minute Maggi noodles by stating that the laboratories where noodle samples tested positive for excessive Lead content, "lacked accreditation, and are thus inconsistent and unreliable.'' It also questioned the grounds of "emergency'' for a pan-India ban. 

On Tuesday, it was pointed out in court before a bench headed by Justice V M Kanade that the FSSAI CEO had moved for recall of the HC's order permitting export and export activities by Nestle for its noodles. Mahmood Pracha counsel for FSSAI CEO said that the recall plea is because he was not heard before the order was passed. He said that at the last hearing he had only said that the existing stock of Maggi noodles which Nestle said it was destroying by incineration could be exported and not newly produced ones. He said since the existing stock was unfit and no one would buy it anyway. Senior counsel Iqbal Chagla who appeared for Nestle said he did "not understand'' where this came from. "On the one hand he is saying the stock is unfit and on the other he is saying export it.'' He denied that even the existing stock was bad and said tests conducted in India and abroad proved that they were safe. 

Pracha said that the company was using the HC export permission order to claim its product is safe on its website. Chagla said it was doing "no such thing''. But Pracha read from a website that said. "Is maggi safe'' followed by "The HC as permitted export''. Pracha said this only shows their "culpability'' and how they were producing new product for export even when there was a show cause notice on product approval. He said it is a proprietary product under the law which requires prior government approval for production and sale in India. 

Khambata also took Nestle on and said that "its bad enough they are laying down the law..they cannot brandish reports from around the world to show that tests prove Maggi is safe when they have to rely on tests done in India.'' Chagla attacked FSSAI's tests as he said they were done in labs which are not notified. 

The bench asked Nestle to file a "short affidavit in reply'' and posted the matter to Friday for further detailed hearing.

Nestle vs FSSAI: Bombay HC to take up final hearing on July 17

Matter inconclusive as Nestle and FSSAi argued on the legitimacy of the ban on Maggi noodles

The dispute over the recall and ban of Maggi noodles will come up for final hearing on July 17, the Bombay High Court said today. 

The third hearing which took place today was inconclusive as advocates for Nestle and FSSAI argued whether the ban and recall was legitimate or not. Specifically, the counsel representing FSSAI said that the order of June 12, which said that Nestle should be given 72 hours before their products tested, should be modified. 

FSSAI argued that giving such advance notice was not possible as it would alert the Nestle team t dispose off sub standard products. 

"In the last hearing, they were asked to export rather than burn the Maggi packets. Why are they not doing it?," the FSSAI counsel said

Nestle asks Bombay HC for time to reply to Maharashtra FDA affidavit

The two-judge bench of V.M. Kanade and B.P. Colabawala will hear the matter on 17 July

Nestle India on 11 June had filed a case in the court seeking review of orders passed by Maharashtra FDA and the FSSAI banning sale, distribution and production of Maggi. 

Mumbai: Nestle India Ltd on Tuesday asked the Bombay high court for more time to reply to the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) affidavit in the ongoing Maggi noodles case.

The two-judge bench of V.M. Kanade and B.P. Colabawala will hear the matter on 17 July. This will be the final hearing, said the bench.

Nestle India on 11 June had filed a case in the court seeking review of orders passed by Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banning sale, distribution and production of Maggi.

This was the third hearing in the case, which was first heard on 12 June. At the second hearing on 30 June, the bench had passed an order to allow Nestle to sell the product abroad even as it stood by the decision to ban nine variants of the snack in India.

However, FSSAI counsel Mahmood Pracha, who had suggested that the Indian arm of the Swiss food and beverage company should be allowed to export Maggi instead of incinerating the noodles, objected to the company manufacturing fresh products for exports. He said export should be allowed only to the stock, which was to be destroyed.

According to him, the company is burning Maggi noodles and destroying all evidence as the recalled stock of Maggi is unsafe for consumption. The recall order by FSSAI did not state that Maggi should be destroyed, said Pracha.

However, the bench did not give any new direction on the matter and said that all the arguments will be heard on Friday.

Maggi ban: Classic example of tough laws & weak regulation

The core issue is wayward implementation of the law enabled by a weak state that is unable to regulate firmly but fairly. This action, which has caused losses running into several hundred crores to business, is a classic example of the damage that can be done by a combination of tough laws and weak regulation. The weak state has struck again.

The recent state action against Nestle's Maggi noodles, where the chance discovery of packs that possibly contained a slight overdose of lead in Uttar Pradesh, has led to the product's recall and the emptying of almost all retail shelves of all brands of instant noodles. This action, which has caused losses running into several hundred crores to business, is a classic example of the damage that can be done by a combination of tough laws and weak regulation. The weak state has struck again.

That the UP food inspector, whose actions resulted in this massive recall is now being hailed as a minor hero who took on the might of the MNCs, tells us precisely what is wrong with the system. Almost farcically, both the inspector and his boss, Sanjay Singh and VK Pandey respectively, are now claiming credit for the damage done (read here). This is not to say they did wrong or that everything was all right with the Maggi samples that tested negative for existing food standards, but are they heroes just for doing their jobs? Especially when food regulators in the UK and Singapore have declared Maggi safe?

Two questions arise: if Maggi has been putting out sub-standard noodles targeted at children, why did it take the food inspection system 32 years to find out? Secondly, what is the point of having tough food safety standards if the system has no capacity to enforce them, and the first inspector who does so claims public accolades for the same? A system which needs individual heroics to implement the law will essentially be a corrupt one.

Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur thus needs applause for telling it like it is. In an interview to The Economic Times, she made it very clear that India may have cried wolf too soon with Maggi when it does not even have the basic infrastructure and manpower to test food samples at the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FS&SAI), which prompted the Maggi recall. Rather, she seemed to suggest that inspector raj was on the comeback trail. If this continues, we can forget Narendra Modi’s Make in India. We can’t expect anyone to make in India if those who are already doing so are going to be treated as suspects.

She said: “In the name of food safety, you cannot bring back inspector raj, where inspectors are now beginning to harass the industry saying that they are getting tests done with some content found in their products.”

As Harsimrat Kaur tells it, FS&SAI has all of six scientists doing the testing, and given the thousands of food product innovations that come for testing every year, it is clearly not upto the job on the scale required.

The real problem of food safety lies not in our laws, but in our inability to create enough testing systems with adequate manpower to do the job consistently and fairly. We do not have a regulator who can regulate effectively. As a result, it is the oddball result – as in the case of Maggi – that is seen as a great achievement.

Indian food is largely unsafe for human consumption. Toxic food is sold everywhere, from contaminated milk to fruits and vegetables that bear an overdose of pesticides, to bhujias that are simply unhealthy for all people, leave alone kids.

Nowhere is the problem worse than in the case of milk – a product fundamental to Indian children’s health, especially those born in vegetarian families. Many producers and distributors adulterate milk to increase profits and to make the product look thick. In Maharashtra, the Food and Drug Administration found that 24 percent of the samples tested in Pune division were either unsafe or did not conform to the standards set by FS&SAI. But we continue to drink this poison in the name of health.

Some diaries inject hormones or insulin into buffaloes because this helps make the milk thicker. But insulin also gets into the milk, which makes it unsafe for women and children. In Andhra Pradesh, milk samples tested by a private laboratory found traces of urea, coliform, e-coli and salmonella (many of them harmful bacteria), but the milk diaries faced no action. Unlike Maggi, which is being withdrawn at huge cost, how many milk producers have been ordered to throw their milk away because it is sub-standard?

And it isn’t about milk alone. The New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment found that junk food – like burgers and bhujias – contains high levels of trans-fats (very harmful), salt and sugar, which could lead to problems like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Most ordinary hotel kitchens are unhygienic, and street food is often sold next to gutters and garbage in big cities. Branded Kurkure may be made in hygienic factories, but potato chips and namkeen are often made inside slums or dirty factories, often with low-quality ingredients and oil, in order to sell them cheap. We pay a price in terms of health for buying and consuming "cheap" food.

The short point is this: food and health safety, despite the existence of standards and regulations, is badly in need of strong supervision and enforcement of the law. It is easy to attack Maggi because it is produced by a multinational company, but the real health hazards can be found in food produced by the small sector, in hotels and in street food. It is here that our food regulators must start to look for violations of the law.

The states are the real culprits, as food safety has to be enforced by them. The Maggi problem was discovered by a food inspector in Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh, but the chances are this discovery was an accident or an exception. The reason why bad and unhygienic food goes unchecked is corruption. It is simply too easy for food manufacturers to bribe inspectors and continue doing what they are doing: selling poison for profit. For small food sellers, the cost of complying with the law is simply too high compared with the ease of paying a bribe.

There are only three ways to combat food adulteration. First, the public must be educated on this. Second, packaged food makers and hotels must be sensitised to improve hygiene standards by the use of better technology and safer ingredients. And third, we simply need many thousands of food inspectors all over the country and effective food regulators.

Maggi is not the problem. The core issue is wayward implementation of the law enabled by a weak state that is unable to regulate firmly but fairly.

Without holding any brief for Nestle or Maggi, is it anyone’s case that multinational corporations are less responsible than Indian food makers or the thousands of food vendors in the unorganised or retail sector? The answer should be obvious.

The writer is editor-in-chief, digital and publishing, Network18 Group.

Food processing has not been attracting much FDI—with or without Maggi ban

Food processing minister says regulatory steps are hitting overseas investments, but data show the sector has never been hot property for foreign investors

According to DIPP data, FDI in food processing sector started declining even before FSSAI asked Swiss food major Nestle to withdraw its popular Maggi noodles on 5 June.

New Delhi: Regulatory overreach has scared foreign investors, threatened ‘Make in India’ and killed innovation in food processing, says India’s food processing minister, a month after Maggi instant noodles were banned in the country over alleged presence of undesirable ingredients.

The fears may be misplaced: India’s food processing sector has never been hot property for foreign investors, show data.

In an interview published in The Economic Times on 13 July, minister of food processing industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal expressed concerns over the recent regulatory steps taken by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), saying it was affecting overseas investments. Badal said “inspector raj” has created fear among foreign investors in the food processing sector.

However, according to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), the sector never attracted much foreign direct investment (FDI) in the past 15 years. One exception was the fiscal year that ended in March 2014, when American food and beverages giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo announced ambitious investment plans till 2020 in India.

According to DIPP data, FDI in food processing sector started declining even before FSSAI asked Swiss food major Nestle to withdraw its popular Maggi noodles on 5 June. In the first four months of 2015, FDI in food processing was as follows—January: `215.89 crore, February:`272.71 crore, March: `320.05 crore and April: `155.06 crore.

The entire food processing sector received `3,164.72 crore FDI in 2014-15, the second largest since April 2000. However, it was the highest in the previous fiscal year (April 2013-March 2014) at a whopping `25,106.78 crore, while FDI during April 2012-March 2013 was `2,193.65 crore, the third largest since April 2000.

Between April 2000 and March 2015, Indian food processing sector received a total of `36,952.87 crore. Barring fiscal years 2001-02, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15, FDI in food processing was always under `1,000 crore in all fiscal years since 2000-01.

Since April 2000, the food processing sector has received just 2.51% of all FDI that India has received, according to the DIPP data. However, as a sector, food processing is the 13th largest in terms of FDI inflow, while the services sector tops the list with a 17.03% contribution, followed by construction development at 9.54% and telecommunications at 6.77%.

During the past two fiscal years (2013-14 and 2014-15) and April 2015, food processing sector was not among the top 10 sectors in terms of total FDI inflow, according to DIPP statistics.

FDI inflow was higher in 2013-14, thanks to two big-ticket investments by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, announced in October and November 2013, respectively. Coca-Cola in October 2013 said it would invest $5 billion in India by 2020, while its rival PepsiCo announced its plans to spend $5.5 billion in India by 2020 the next month, part of which might have been accounted in the FDI inflow data for the year.

Just want food companies to follow law, FSSAI says

NEW DELHI: Even as the Maggi episode has led to a sense of scare among consumers as well as companies selling packaged food products, regulatory officials say the stringent measures adopted by it are only to ensure that food companies comply with the law. 

"There is no reason to worry. The exercise is merely to ensure that every food item that is sold in the country is of good quality and is complying with the law of the land," said a senior official of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). 

Asked about the increase the frequency of sampling and surveillance, especially in the case of macaroni, instant noodles etc, the official said the exercise was undertaken to reiterate that Nestle has not been singled out and to ensure that all products sold in the market are in compliance. 

Following the Maggi recall, FSSAI had directed all state food regulators to collect samples of all instant noodles, macaroni and pasta and do extensive testing. While FSSAI is yet to receive the test reports, the official said sampling is a routine process and only those products which are not complying with the prescribed standards will face the consequences as per the norms. 

This assumes significance in the wake of recent comments by food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal who slammed the FSSAI last week saying the regulator has created an environment of fear. "The action taken by FSSAI is discouraging innovation in the food processing sector, which is vital for the country's food security. A lot needs to be done as the FSSAI has created an environment of fear in the industry. It needs to streamline its regulations as its steps are stopping innovation in the processing sector," Badal had said while addressing an industry conference. 

However, the regulator says that is "not the intention". "To create fear is not the intention. We work in favour of the consumers. We have acted based on the reports we received from states. Most states reported problem with Maggi noodles. So, we had to act in public interest. In fact, Nestle recalled the product before we issued orders," the official said. 

He said Nestle can take corrective actions to address the concerns and meet the requirements under the law to bring Maggi back into the market. 

"As long as approval for Maggi is not withdrawn, it can make a come back," he said. 

Maggi instant noodles, Nestle's popular 2-minute snack, was recalled from the Indian market after regulatory agencies found the product containing excess of lead and added monosodium glutamate (MSG).

After Maggi, 16 samples of other brands fail quality test

LUDHIANA: If after ban on Maggi in Punjab, you have been enjoying noodles of other brands, it is time you removed them from your diet too as 16 samples of other brands from Ludhiana have failed quality test. They have been declared unsafe for consumption and packaging termed as misleading and misbranded by the State Food and Drug Laboratory.

After direction from FSSAI (Food Safety Standard Authority of India), the health department took samples of noodles from other brands, including Yippee, Knorr, Ching's and Top Ramen on June 8. "It was important to check the different varieties as some brands claimed to give flavour like that of manchurian, schezwan, Singapore curry, which are supposed to have ajinomoto or MSG. We took action following complaints," said Dr Kumar.

All the 16 samples failed the test and have higher content of monosodium glutamate (MSG). Also, their packets mentioned. No MSG added', which turned out to be misleading and misbranded. However, lead has not been reported in either of the reports. Pasta samples were also taken from different places, but their reports are awaited.

Earlier, on June 24, test reports had declared four samples of Maggi and its variants for containing high MSG content.

Dr Kumar said action will be initiated under Food Safety Act against the operators of these brands in city and the manufacturing unit.

உருளைக்கிழங்கு சிப்ஸில் துர்நாற்றம் சூப்பர் மார்க்கெட்டுக்கு நோட்டீஸ்

சேலம்:சேலம் தனியார் சூப்பர் மார்க்கெட்டில் வாங்கப்பட்ட ஃப்ரஞ்ச் ஃப்ரை உருளைக்கிழங்கு சிப்ஸில், துர்நாற்றம் ஏற்பட்டதாக எழுந்த புகாரை அடுத்து, சம்பந்தப்பட்ட நிறுவனத்திற்கு விளக்கம் கேட்டு, மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் டாக்டர் அனுராதா நோட்டீஸ் அனுப்பி உள்ளார்.சேலம், அஸ்தம்பட்டியை சேர்ந்தவர் ரவிபிரகாஷ். இவர், சென்னையில் இருந்து விடுமுறைக்காக சேலம் வந்தார். அவர், நேற்று காலை, 11.15 மணி அளவில், அப்பகுதியில் உள்ள ரிலையன்ஸ் சூப்பர் மார்க்கெட்டில், ஃப்ரஞ்ச் ஃப்ரை உருளைக்கிழங்கு சிப்ஸ் வாங்கி உள்ளார்.மதியம் சிப்ஸ் பாக்கெட்டுக்களை திறந்து பார்த்த போது, அதிலிருந்து துர்நாற்றம் வீசியுள்ளது. அதிர்ச்சி அடைந்த ரவிபிரகாஷ், சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் அனுராதாவிடம் புகார் அளித்தார்.

ரிலையன்ஸ் சூப்பர் மார்க்கெட்டில் ஆய்வு நடத்திய அனுராதா, ஃப்ரஞ்ச் ஃப்ரை உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்களை சோதனைக்காக எடுத்துச் சென்றார். மேலும், புகார் குறித்து விளக்கம் அளிக்கும்படி, அந்த நிறுவனத்துக்கு நோட்டீஸ் வழங்கி உள்ளார்.இதுகுறித்து, டாக்டர் அனுராதா கூறியதாவது:தனியார் சூப்பர் மார்க்கெட்டில் வாங்கப்பட்ட ஃப்ரஞ்ச் ஃப்ரையில், துர்நாற்றம் வீசுவதாக புகார் வந்தது. காலையில் பொருள் வாங்கப்பட்ட நிலையில், மதியம் தான் புகார் வந்தது. இருப்பினும், புகார் குறித்து விசாரணை நடக்கிறது. 

சம்பந்தப்பட்ட நிறுவத்தினர் விளக்கம் அளிக்க, நோட்டீஸ் வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.இவ்வாறு, அவர் தெரிவித்தார்.

DINAMANI ARTICLE