Maggi row: Paswan says govt has nothing against Nestle

Weeks after regulatory action forced Nestle to pull out popular snack Maggi, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said the government has nothing against the Swiss food maker and was only probing the complaint. 

Paswan said consumer health is paramount and the Maggi controversy has created awareness about food safety in the country, even as he assured that the government was against any kind of "inspector raj". 

"The Maggi issue is an isolated case. There is nothing to fear. Black sheeps are there everywhere. No big company wants to sell sub-standard food products. One wrong incident/product does not mean that the company itself is bad," Paswan told reporters after the launch of a food safety initiative here. 

The regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI) is investigating the Maggi issue as it has received complaints against the product, he added. 

Paswan further said, "If something comes to the government's notice, it has to take action. If some complain about the product comes to FSSAI, it has to be investigated. It does not mean that the company is bad or good." 

The Consumer Affairs Ministry has also received complaints against Maggi noodles and hence is filing a class action suit against Nestle India for the first time. 

The minister also observed that there is too much criticism against FSSAI if it takes strict action, while the authority is also blamed if it does not take any measures to curb sale of sub-standard food products in the market. 

"There is this dichotomy. Our priority is consumer health. From president to peon, everyone is consumer. We don't want people visit doctor due to consumption of sub-standard food. The Maggi episode has created awareness about food safety in the country," he said. 

On some states' demand to shift the FSSAI from the Union Healthy Ministry to the Consumer Affairs Ministry, the minister said: "FSSAI is an independent regulatory body. It does not make any difference if the authority is in Health or Consumer Affairs Ministry. The government's main concern is that FSSAI should ensure food safety." 

Last month, FSSAI had banned Maggi for being "unsafe and hazardous" for human consumption after it found excessive levels of lead and taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG). Nestle India had to recall Maggi from markets, while some other companies also later withdrew similar products. 

"We want consumers get safe food products. Be it Maggi or any other product, we don't want to create panic in the market. We don't want to impose inspector raj," Paswan said. 

To protect consumers interest, Paswan said the government has proposed major changes to the existing Consumer Protection Act to protect consumer rights and simplify the judicial process to ensure speedy and inexpensive justice.

Over 12k samples found adulterated, misbranded in 2014-15

New Delhi, Jul 21, 2015 

12,077 samples were found adulterated and misbranded out of the 60,548 samples analysed by food safety watchdog FSSAI in all states and union territories in 2014-15, the government today said.

Taking action in the matter, the authority lodged 1,989 criminal and 7,241 civil cases, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

On the recent controversy over the detection of excess content of lead and MSG (monosodium-glutamate) in popular snack Maggi noodles, the minister said, "The FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) has issued an order directing M/S Nestle India Limited to withdraw and recall their products from the market."

"A show cause notice has been issued to the company giving 15 days' time as to why product approvals granted in respect of nine variants of Maggie Noodles should not be withdrawn," he added.

"The FSSAI has ordered recall of the food products and/or withdrawn the provisional 'No Objection Certificates' issued in respect of various food products manufactured by multi-national companies who violated the provisions of the FSS Act or Regulations. Some of the food products are Maggi instant noodles, Monster energy drink, Cloud 9 energy drink, Tzinga Energy drink and Akoaroma flavoured water," he said.

Check on Adulterated Food Items

As per reports from the States/UTs, samples of Nestlé’s Maggi noodles have been found to be containing more than the permissible limit of 2.5 ppm of lead. The samples have also been found to be violating the labeling requirements as far as presence of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is concerned. However, no report has been received by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) indicating the presence of detergent in Mother Dairy’s milk samples. 

The FSSAI has issued an order dated 5th June 2015 directing M/s Nestle India Limited to withdraw and recall their products from the market. Further, a show cause notice has been issued to the company giving 15 days’ time as to why product approvals granted in respect of 9 variants of Maggi noodles should not be withdrawn. 

The FSSAI has ordered recall of the food products, and/or withdrawn the provisional “No Objection Certificates” (NOCs) issued in respect of various food products manufactured by MNCs who violated the provisions of the FSS Act or Regulations there under. Some of the food products are Maggi Instant Noodles, Monster Energy Drink, Cloud 9 Energy Drink, Tzinga Energy drink and Akoaroma Flavored Water. Besides, safety standards of food items have been notified in respect of around 365 categories of food products. These standards are enforced by the Food Safety Departments of the States/UTs; however, details in this regard are not maintained centrally. 

The implementation and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 primarily rests with the State/UT Governments. Samples of food items will continue to be drawn by the State Food Safety Officers and sent to the laboratories authorized by the FSSAI for analysis. In cases, where samples are found to be not conforming to the provisions of the Act, the Rules and Regulations made there under, action as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and regulations 2011, will be taken. 

The Health Minister, Shri J P Nadda stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

பரமத்திவேலூர் அருகே காலவதியான உணவு பொருட்கள் விற்ற கடைகளுக்கு அனுமதி ரத்து

பர மத் தி வே லூர், ஜூலை 21:

பர மத் தி வே லூர் பகு தி யில் உள்ள திரை ய ரங் கு களில் காலா வ தி யான உணவு பொருட் களை விற் பனை செய்த 3 கடை களுக்கு அனு மதி ரத்துசெய்யப் பட்டது.

நாமக் கல் கலெக் டர் தட் ச ணா மூர்த்தி, மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி காரி தமிழ் செல் வன், ஆகி யோ ருக்கு பர மத் தி வே லூ ரில் உள்ள திரை ய ரங் கு களில் காலா வ தி யான உணவு பொருட் கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு வ தாக ரக சிய தக வல் கிடைத் தது. இத னை ய டுத்து கலெக் டர் உத் த ர வின் பேரில் பர மத் தி வே லூர் தாலுகா உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி காரி சிவ சண் மு கம், பர மத் தி வே லூர் பகு தி களில் உள்ள திரை ய ரங் கு களில் திடீர் சோத னை யில் ஈடு பட்ட னர். அப் போது காலா வ தி யான உணவு பொருட் களை விற் பனை செய் வது கண் ட றி யப் பட்டது.

பின் னர் அந்த 3 திரை ய ரங் கு களில் உள்ள கடை களுக்கு அனு மதியை ரத்துசெய்து கலெக் டர் உத் த ர விட்டார்.

Does FSSAI have powers to ban Maggi: HC asks Nestlé India

The Bombay high court (HC) on Monday asked Nestlé India to reply whether Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has overriding powers to ban Maggi.

A division bench of justice VM Kanade and justice BP Colabawalla was hearing the petition filed by Nestlé India, after FSSAI banned all nine variants of Maggi on June 5 this year.

Senior counsel Iqbal Chagla appearing for the company said there have been no complaints against Maggi for 30 years, and suddenly someone in Ghaziabad found monosodium glutamate in a sample. He said there is no affidavit filed by FSSAI on this.

Chagla said there is absolutely no material to say that the product is unsafe and therefore should be banned. He said FSSAI cannot ban any product as and when it pleases.

The court then asked whether FSSAI had informed Nestlé India that they propose to impose a ban. Chagla said there was no notice given and they were informed about the ban through a phone call.

Chagla then said that FSSAI is a regulator and they should not have behaved in an adversarial manner by arbitrarily banning the product. He also said there was nothing found in the other six variants of Maggi and despite that there was an order to ban all the nine variants.

The court has asked Nestlé whether the FSSAI has overriding powers to ban the whole product and whether it is a proprietary product. The arguments will continue on Tuesday.

Test Maggi in distilled water: Nestle

The court also asked the company to clarify the scope of Section 22 of the Act, which deals with proprietary foods.

Swiss food manufacturer Nestle India told the Bombay High Court on Monday that the authorities should have tested Maggi noodles and the tastemaker in distilled water before imposing a ban on these products.

“Before coming to a conclusion, the authority [FSSAI] should have taken into account food as it is intended to be consumed and not as it is sold. The product [Maggi] is consumed in 250 ml of water. You have to test in water without lead, in distilled water,” senior advocate Iqbal Chagla, representing Nestle told the court.

A Division Bench of Justices V.M. Kanade and B.P. Colabawalla asked Nestle to clarify whether the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), who declared Maggi to be unsafe, and other officers concerned could work only under Section 34 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. It is Nestle’s contention that mandatory provisions of Section 34 were not complied with.

The court also asked the company to clarify the scope of Section 22 of the Act, which deals with proprietary foods. Maggi falls in the category of proprietary foods, for which separate approvals are required, but the State’s ban order does not mention this.

Nestle also claimed that they were not given any intimation before the authorities decided to ban Maggi noodles. “This ban order affects my civil rights,” Mr. Chagla said.

Maggi ban: Regulator overreach, says Nestle counsel

Says apex food regulator cannot issue emergency ban order on products under the law; argument to continue today

The jurisdiction of the country's apex food regulator, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), ws questioned at the high court here on Monday, in the petition from Nestle India on the Maggi noodles' ban

Whether the regulator could issue an emergency ban order was among the arguments raised by the company's counsel, Iqbal Chagla. He contended Section 34 of the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006, prevented FSSAI from issuing such an order.

“Section 34 specifies that emergency prohibition notices or orders can be issued by the designated officer or the commissioner of food safety (of a state), if they are satisfied that a health risk condition exists with respect to a food business," Chagla told a bench of judges V M Kanade and B P Colabawalla.

"Morever, the designated officer shall not apply the emergency prohibition order at least one day before the the date of application, till he has served a notice on the food business operator of his intention to do so. And, the prohibition order will cease to have effect once he is satisfied with the measures taken by the food business operator for lifting of such an order."

Nestle India has been arguing in court that the recall and ban order on Maggi, issued on June 5, was arbitrary and against the principles of natural justice. Monday's hearing was a continuation of final arguments that commenced on July 17.

On Friday, Chagla had argued on how the tests conducted by state laboratories to determine the level of contamination in Maggi could not be relied upon. He had highlighted how the tests were conducted by laboratories that were not accredited or notified under Section 43 of the 2006 law.

On Monday, he repeatedly drove home the point of arbitrariness, saying FSSAI had not adhered to sections 16 and 30 of the Act. “Section 16 indicates the duties and functions of the Authority, which does not include banning of products. Section 30 says it is the state government that will appoint the commissioner of food safety for efficient implementation of safety and standards. It is the commissioner that will prohibit the distribution or sale of a product in a state, carry out surveys of industrial units engaged in the manufacture or processing of food in a state, and ensure they comply with standards notified by the Authority. The latter has no power to discharge the above duties, as specified in the Act,” Chagla said.

Nestle will continue arguing the matter on Tuesday, after which the counsels for the Maharashtra Food & Drug Administration and FSSAI will present their defence. A judgement will be given after completion of all arguments, on a separate day.

Did FSSAI have power to impose pan India ban on Maggi queries Bombay HC

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Monday asked Whether FSSAI has authority to impose nationwide ban and Whether Maggie is a proprietary product under Sec 22 of FSS Act, 2006 which requires prior approval from the regulator. 

Nestle India which is arguing against the June 5 ban brought on by FSSAI after it said 30 out of 72 samples tested positive for excess Lead, said the water used during testing could have been impure. 

Senior counsel Iqbal Chagla who represents Nestle along with senior counsel Amit Desai questioned the quality of water used during the tests done as he said they were by unaccredited laboratories whose results can't be accepted. "Accreditation of labs is vital under the Act itself," said Chagla who expanded on the argument that lack of accredit ion is a flaw in the testing itself. Besides he said 2700 tests show that Maggi is safe and for 30 long years there was not a single complaint from inspectors. "And now suddenly one Inspector in Gaziabad speaks of high MSG and the sample is sent to the Kolkata referral lab whose notification expired this March before the test" he said. 

Ban on Maggie is just on the basis of levels of Lead and when all variants have product approval except Oats, the ban on the basis of few samples in "mindless and arbitrary and unjustified." 

"The water used during testing might contain high levels of Lead. They should have ensured that the water was pure," said Chagla. 

Calling the ban as a violation of the Food Safety Act, Chagla in his day long submissions said, "Maggie can't be termed unsafe or injurious to human health as per the definition of unsafe and substandard food given in FSS Act, 2006, itself." He said, " FSSAI must decide whether Maggie is unsafe or substandard," and added that the regulator has violated its provisions of natural justice and having tested only three variants out of nine it could have at best placed a ban on a particular batch and not the entire product range. 

"The authorities not empowered to impose this ban under the FSS Act, 2006," said Chagla promoting the court to ask if the regulator could impose a national ban on the popular 2-minute Maggi noodles. 

The Maharashtra government had followed the FSSAI order with its own ban within the state on sale of the snack packets the following day in June 6. Others States did too. 

The HC has not stayed the ban and the company has destroyed over Rs 600 crore worth of goods already even as it battles the ban in court. 

The matter will continue to be heard on Tuesday when the FSSAI and its Ceo through their counsel Anil Singh and Mehmood Pracha make their case in favour of the ban.

Maggi ban: HC asks Nestle India for clarifications

Challenging the ban on Maggi, Nestle India stated that authorities failed to do a number of things before calling the food unsafe

Mumbai: In the ongoing hearing challenging the Maggi noodle ban by the food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Bombay high court has asked Nestle India to clarify on two counts.

The bench comprising judges V.M. Kanade and B.P. Colabawalla asked the company to explain the scope of proprietary food under section 22 of the FSSAI Act, 2006, under which products such as Maggi instant noodles come.

The bench also asked if all the officers of FSSAI are governed only by section 34 FSSAI Act, 2006, or if they had any other powers.

Section 34 deals with the power of a designated officer to impose a ban if he or she is not satisfied with the product quality and feels that it poses a health risk.

Referring to the ban, Nestle India’s counsel Iqbal Chagla had told the court that “the authorities did not have any such power, nor does the state”.

He added that “natural justice has been completely and totally violated”.

Nestle India told the court that the authorities failed to do a number of things before calling the food unsafe.

It includes issuing a show cause notice to the company and conducting food tests.

The counsel told the court that Maggi noodles come with a tastemaker inside. The tastemaker is to be added to the noodles which is boiled in 250 ml of water for two minutes and then consumed.

However, both the noodles and the tastemaker were tested separately for lead by different states and the FSSAI lab in Kolkata.

FSSAI banned the product, terming them “unsafe and hazardous” for human consumption after finding high levels of lead and the presence of taste enhancer monosodium glutamate on 5 June.

After conducting its own tests, Maharashtra state, too, had banned its sale on 6 June.

The FSSAI and the Maharashtra FDA are yet to present their case before the court.

FSSAI to soon issue draft notification for liquor standards

The safety watchdog plans to set standards for alcoholic drinks including beer, whisky and rum among others

The proposal has been made in the Safety and Standards (Food Recall Procedure) Regulations, 2015, which has been put up for public comments. 

New Delhi: With plans to set standards for alcoholic drinks including beer, whisky and rum among others central food safety watchdog Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is likely to come out with a draft notification within a few weeks.

“The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will come up with a draft notification on the standards of alcoholic beverages in next 45 days,” a source said. It was decided that once standards for alcohol and alcoholic beverages were finalised it shall be intimated to all states and UTs so that they may suitably advise the respective excise departments, the source added.

“Work is going on to prepare standards for alcohol and alcoholic beverages, broadly under two different heads, one for drinks with less alcohol like beer and other for drinks having major alcohol content like whisky,” the source said.

Among other drinks vodka, brandy and gin will also come under the proposed standards. Earlier this year, a meeting of the Central Advisory Committee had discussed having standards for alcohol and alcoholic beverages. FSSAI has already proposed that alcoholic beverages, pan masala and supari may not be treated as “unsafe food” for recall just because they carry a mandatory warning on their covers.

The proposal has been made in the Safety and Standards (Food Recall Procedure) Regulations, 2015, which has been put up for public comments. These draft norms were put up for public comments on 29 May and the deadline ends on 1 August.

FSSAI is the central body which lays down science-based standards for articles of food and regulate their sale, manufacturing, storage, distribution and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

DINAKARAN NEWS

மதுபானங்களுக்கு தர நிர்ணய அறிக்கை

புதுடில்லி:'மதுபானங்களின் தர நிர்ணயத்தை பரிசோதிக்கும் வரைவு அறிக்கை, இன்னும், 45 நாட்களில் வெளியிடப்படும்' என, இந்திய உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணய ஆணையமான, எப்.எஸ்.எஸ்.ஏ.ஐ., தெரிவித்துஉள்ளது. 'நெஸ்லே இந்தியா' நிறுவனத்தின் தயாரிப்பான,'மேகி நுாடுல்ஸ்'சில், காரீயம், ரசாயன உப்பு ஆகியவை அதிகமாக இருப்பதாகவும், இதை சாப்பிடு வோருக்கு பாதிப்பு ஏற்படும் என்றும் பரிசோதனையில் உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டது. மேகி நுாடுல்ஸ் விற்பனைக்கு தடை விதிக்கப்பட்டது.

இதைத் தொடர்ந்து, சில பாக்கெட் உணவுப் பொருட்களுக்கும் தடை விதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்நிலையில், மற்ற பொருட்களின் மீதும், தன் பிடியை, எப்.எஸ்.எஸ்.ஏ.ஐ., 

இறுக்கியுள்ளது. பீர், விஸ்கி, ரம் போன்ற மதுபானங்களின் தரத்தையும் பரிசோதிக்கப் போவதாக ஏற்கனவே அறிவிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இந்நிலையில், மதுபான வகைகளின் தர நிர்ணயத்தை பரிசோதிக்கும் வகையிலான வரைவு அறிக்கையை, எப்.எஸ்.எஸ்.ஏ.ஐ., தயாரித்துள்ளது. இதற்கான இறுதிக்கட்ட பணிகள் நடந்து வருகின்றன. 

இதுகுறித்து, எப்.எஸ்.எஸ்.ஏ.ஐ., வட்டாரங்கள் கூறியதாவது:மதுபானங்களின் தரத்தை நிர்ணயம் செய்யும் வரைவு அறிக்கை, அடுத்த, 45 நாட்களில் வெளியிடப்படும். 

அறிக்கை வெளியானதும், அதுகுறித்த தகவல் அனைத்து மாநில அரசுகளுக்கும் தெரிவிக்கப்படும். இதன் அடிப்படை யில், சம்பந்தப்பட்ட அதிகாரிகளுக்கு மதுபான வகைகளின் தர சோதனை குறித்து நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க, அதிகாரிகளுக்கு மாநில அரசுகள் உத்தரவிடலாம். இவ்வாறு, அந்த வட்டாரங்கள் தெரிவித்தன.

காய்கறிகளில் ரசாயன மருந்து தாக்கம் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் ஆய்வு

கூடலுார்: விளைநிலங்களில் இருந்து கொண்டு வரப்படும் காய்கறிகளில் ரசாயன மருந்துகளின் தாக்கம் எப்படி உள்ளது என்பது குறித்த ஆய்வை, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் தேனி மாவட்டத்தின் பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில் மேற்கொண்டுஉள்ளனர்.காய்கறிகள் உற்பத்தியில் ரசாயன மருந்துகளின் பயன்பாடு அதிகமாக உள்ளது. ரசாயன மருந்துகள் தெளிக்காவிட்டால், காய்கறிகளை முழுமையாக உற்பத்தி செய்யவே முடியாது என்ற நிலை உள்ளது. ஆனால், இதனை பயன்படுத்தும் மக்கள் பாதிப்பிற்கு உள்ளாகின்றனர் என்பதை மறுக்க முடியாது.தமிழகப்பகுதியில் இருந்து வரும் காய்கறிகளில் ரசாயன மருந்துகளின் தாக்கம் அதிகம் உள்ளது என கேரளாவில் நடத்திய ஆய்வில் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டதாக கூறப்பட்டது. இதனால் கேரளாவிற்கு கொண்டு வரும் காய்கறிகளுக்கு, அம்மாநில அரசு கட்டுப்பாடுகளை விதிக்கத் துவங்கியுள்ளது. மருந்து கலந்து வரும் காய்கறிகளை தடை செய்யவேண்டும் எனக் கூறிய கேரளா, தற்போது உணவு பாதுகாப்பு ஆணையத்திடமிருந்து பெற்ற லைசென்சு இருந்தால் மட்டுமே கேரளாவிற்குள் காய்கறிகளை அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும் என, எல்லைப்பகுதியில் உள்ள 'செக்போஸ்ட்' அலுவலர்களுக்கு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

இந்நிலையில், தேனி மாவட்டத்தில் விவசாய நிலத்தில் இருந்து கொண்டு வரப்படும் காய்கறிகளை உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் நேற்று முதல், ஆய்வு செய்யும் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளனர். ஆய்வுக்காக எடுக்கப்படும் 'சாம்பிளை' மதுரையில் உள்ள ஆய்வு மையத்திற்கு அனுப்பி வைப்பர். இதற்கான முடிவுகள் வருவதற்கு 15 நாட்கள் வரை ஆகும். விவசாய நிலத்தில் இருந்து எடுக்கப்பட்ட காய்கறிகள், 15 நாட்கள் வரை பயன்படுத்தாமல் வைத்திருந்தால் வீணாகும் என்பதால் விவசாயிகள் கலக்கம் அடைந்துள்ளனர்.

'மொபைல் லேப்' வேண்டும்: காய்கறிகளில் ரசாயன மருத்துகள் குறித்து ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டு உடனடியாக அதற்கான முடிவுகள் தெரியும் வகையில் ஒவ்வொரு மாவட்டத்திற்கும் 'மொபைல் லேப்' அவசியம். ஆய்வுக்கு உட்படுத்தப்பட்ட காய்கறிகளின் தன்மை குறித்து உடனடியாக தெரியும் வகையில் வசதியை விரைவில் 

ஏற்படுத்த அரசு முன் வரவேண்டும். இல்லாவிட்டால், காய்கறிகள் கேரளாவிற்கு அனுப்ப முடியாமல் சிக்கலை ஏற்படுத்தி விடும் என விவசாயிகள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.

Sale of unwholesome food articles DFCO initiates action against erring hotel

JAMMU: Acting on a specific complaint, regarding sale of food article being prepared from unwholesome food ingredients and offered for sale to the consumers by a hotel in Jammu city, a team of the Food Safety Officers comprising Daleep Singh and Rakesh Kumar Gupta under the supervision of Sanjeev Kumar, Assistant Controller Food, (MCJ), Drugs and Food Control Organisation (DFCO), J and K, Jammu carried out a detailed inspection of the kitchens and stores of the hotel.

It was observed that the establishment was being run under unhygienic and insanitary conditions and heaps of garbage lying unattended could be seen within the premises. Processing of food was being carried out with deteriorated vegetables, virtually unsafe for human consumption.

Large quantity of unwholesome food articles such as cooked potatoes, sauces, meat, etc were destroyed on the spot. Challan on account of unhygienic and insanitary conditions under the provision of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 shall be filed. An improvement notice has also been served upon the hotel management for upgrading the existing infrastructure within a specific time frame.

Meanwhile, acting on the reports regarding artificial ripening of fruits in Fruit Mandi, the team of DFCO carried out a detailed inspection of Fruit Mandi. Vice President Fruit Mandi Association Om Parkash Saini along with other members associated with the trade were apprised by the DFCO team regarding health risks associated with the use of calcium carbide commonly used for ripening of the fruits.

It was impressed upon vendors that persons who indulge in such practices shall be dealt sternly under law.

It was also decided that a sensitisation cum awareness workshop on the topic shall be organised to suggest alternative methods of ripening which are naturally safe and were in use conventionally