`Min government, Max governance' trigger behind downsize decision

FSSAI Shuts City Office From Today

Less than a year after forcing Nestle India to recall samples of Maggi, and running-in with Patanjali Ayurved for manufacturing and selling atta noodles without requisite licenses, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is quietly moving towards a `deregulation' and `self-compliance' regime.

As a first step in this direction, the country's food regulator has ordered the winding up of its sub-regional offices in Lucknow and Chandigarh, with effect from March 31.

From April 11, the Authority will carry out its regulatory work; licensing, enforcement and monitoring of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, remotely , from the FSSAI headquarters in New Delhi, and four regional offic es in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, and Guwahati. The closure orders were communicated to the Chandigarh and Lucknow offices through an office order of February 24, signed by director establishment, FSSAI, Rakesh Chandra Sharma. However, the order was not avilable on the FSSAI website, until the time of going to press.

Speaking to TOI, FSSAI chief executive officer, Pawan Kumar Agarwal, said, “The decision to close down sub-regional offices in Lucknow and Chandigarh was a carefully considered one.These offices had limited staff and were not adding value. Our attempt is to downsize and rationalise our resources. We dont wan't food safety officials to be a nuisance to food businesses, rather we want citizens to have confidence in them.“

Saying inspection was not the way forward in the food industry , and the FSSAI was keen to encourage self-regulation and declaration, Agarwal added, “We are using a pragmatic approach, and moving towards a regime of self-compliance. We plan to use technology meaningfully to reach out to businesses and encourage them to selftest and upload results online.Penalties can be issued online for non-compliance. Consumers are also encouraged to be more aware and act as a food safety inspector.“ While deregulation ap pears to be the key word, the FSSAI is mandated, at present, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to lay down “science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.“ The Act was enforced across India from 2011, after the Food Safety and Standards Rules and Regulations, respectively, were notified by the Central government. It governs about 35 lakh food businesses across India of which about 27,000 licenses are issued directly by FSSAI. In comparison to the size of food business, however, the number of food safety officers under FSSAI is woefully low; less than 10%.

Citing a severe manpower crunch and the Authority's inability, as a result, to fully control the food industry , Agarwal said enforcement will now shift into the hands of the concerned state governments, while the regional office in New Delhi will monitor overall regulation of food in UP and other states in India FSSAI could not, however provide TOI a copy of an office order, or gazette notification announcing the change in procedure, authorising state governments to take over en orcement, inspections and monitoring of food business es.

Agarwal, the chief execu ive, and also the Food Com missioner of India, quoted the FSS Act, 2006 as having pre scribed `Minimum Govern ment but Maximum Govern ance,' which is the trigger be hind the Authority's decision o “downsize and rationalise“ resources. TOI could not, how ever, find a reference to any such statement in the Act.

The Lucknow office of FSSAI, in its capacity as food regulator, has issued 2672 food icenses from its inception in September 2008, until March 27, 2016. In addition to issuing licenses, it has also served show cause and improvement notices on food manufacturers, conducted over 250 inspections of food production facilities, and initiated penal action against a prominent food manufacturing business.

According to RTI information sought by TOI from the FSSAI Lucknow office, among key companies that were issued improvement or show cause notices for sub-standard or unsafe food products include Nestle for its Maggi noodles, and Mother Dairy for its `Fruit Added Lassi', which RTI information shows was being sold across India without a product license. The offices also suspended the license of JVL Agro, manufacturers of `Jhoola Vanaspati', among other oils produced by the company , and found during surveillance sampling that all brands of packaged drinking water sold in UP were sub-standard and unsafe for consumption. Among other food majors pulled up by FSSAI include Hindustan Unilever for producing substandard bread under the label “Modern“, and for illegal slaughter against Abu Dhabibased Lulu Group's Amroon Foods Pvt Ltd at its Barabanki facility.

Speaking to TOI, sources in New Delhi said the Centre and FSSAI, as food regulator, were for some time faced with adilemma; whether to keep up its stringent regulatory check in public interest, or to resolve regulatory issues in favour of food manufacturers like Nestle and other prominent names in the food industry . An FSSAI resource person, on condition of anonymity , told TOI: “Considering that FSSAI was established in public interest, and with an aim to function as a regulatory , enforcement and monitoring agency controlling the entire food industry in India, it only makes sense to expand the Authority's network, rather than to close down its offices.“

Self-regulation new mantra for country's food security

 

Lucknow

Less then a year after forcing Nestle India to recall samples of Maggi, and runningin with Patanjali Ayurved for manufacturing and selling atta noodles without requisite licenses, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has said it's moving towards a “deregulation“ and “self-compliance“ regime.

As first step in this direction, the country's food regulator has ordered the winding up of its sub-regional offices in Lucknow and Chandigarh, with effect from March 31.

From April 11, FSSAI will carry out its regulatory work; licensing, enforcement and monitoring of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, remotely , from the its headquarters in New Delhi, and four regional offices in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, and Guwahati. The closure orders were communicated to the Chandigarh and Lucknow offices through an office order of February 24, signed by director establishment, FSSAI, Rakesh Chandra Sharma. Speaking to TOI, FSSAI chief executive officer, Pawan Kumar Agarwal, said, “The decision to close down sub-regional offices in Lucknow and Chandigarh was a carefully considered one. These offices had limited staff and were not adding value. Our attempt is to downsize and rationalise our resources. We don't want food safety officials to be a nuisance to food businesses, rather we want citizens to have confidence in them.“

Saying inspection was not the way forward in the food industry , and FSSAI was keen to encourage self-regulation and declaration, Agarwal added, “We're using a pragmatic approach, and moving towards a regime of self-compliance. We plan to use technology meaningfully to reach out to businesses and encourage them to self-test and upload results online. Penalties can be issued online for non-compliance. Consumers are also encouraged to be more aware and act as a food safety inspector.“

While deregulation appears to be the keyword, the FSSAI is mandated, at present, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to lay down “science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.“

The Act has been enforced across India from 2011, after the Food Safety and Standards Rules and Regulations, respectively, were notified by the Central government. It governs about 35 lakh food businesses across India of which about 27,000 licenses are issued directly by FSSAI. In comparison to the size of food business, however, the number of food safety officers under FSSAI is woefully low, less than 10%.

FSSAI moves away from inspector raj, shuts 2 offices

Lucknow: Less than a year after forcing Nestle India to recall samples of Maggi and having a run-in with Patanjali Ayurved for manufacturing and selling atta noodles without requisite licenses, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has said it's moving towards a "deregulation" and "self-compliance" regime.

As a first step, the food regulator has ordered its subregional offices in Lucknow and Chandigarh to be wound up with effect from March 31.

From April 11, the FSSAI will carry out its regulatory work: licensing, enforcement and monitoring of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 remotely, from its New Delhi headquarters and four regional offices in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Guwahati. Orders for the closures were communicated to the Chandigarh and Lucknow offices on February 24 by FSSAI director, establishment, Rakesh Chandra Sharma.

FSSAI CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal told TOI, "The decision to close down the two offices was carefully considered. They had limited staff and were not adding value. Our attempt is to downsize and rationalise our resources. We don't want food safety officials to be a nuisance to businesses. Rather we want citizens to have confidence in them."

Agarwal said FSSAI was keen to encourage self-regulation and declaration.

Citing a severe manpower crunch and the regulator's inability to, ever, fully control the food industry, Agarwal said enforcement will now shift into the hands of the concerned state governments, while the regional office in New Delhi will monitor the overall regulation of food in Uttar Pradesh and other states in India.

According to RTI information sought by TOI from the FSSAI Lucknow office, companies issued notices included Nestle for its Maggi noodles, Mother Dairy for its 'Fruit Added Lassi', which RTI information shows was being sold across India without a product license, Hindustan Unilever for producing sub-standard bread under the label 'Modern', and Abu Dhabibased Lulu Group's Amroon Foods for illegal slaughter at its Barabanki facility.

FSSAI on a ride to provide safe food to consumers'

Pawan Kumar Agarwal, CEO at FSSAI who is on a mission to safe food for a healthy and happy India, talks to Restaurant India about his plans to take this forward.

For all street food junkies who love lip-smacking roadside eateries but disgust them too for lack of hygiene, can now relish them fully without regretting over safety issues. India’s food safety regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has come down hard on street food vendors to sanitize road side snacks through multiple initiatives. Pawan Kumar Agarwal, the man in-charge of quality testing and CEO of FSSAI share the changes underway.

Tell us about your project ‘Clean Street Food’ and how will it help India tackle the hygiene issue?

Through this initiative of capacity building of food vendors we have found a model and we can do it across the country. This will benefit the poorest section of the society and also the citizen and consumers in many ways. As a country, we are not known for good hygiene and particularly there is concern about the basic hygiene. This initiative will help us in coming out of very crucial situation that is prevailing in the country. We are working with Ministry of Skill Development and other tourism and hospitality partners under Pradhanmantri Kaushal Yogna for capacity and skill building of the food vendors.

How does the recently launched FSSAI app empowers consumers?

FSSAI app is a free mobile application developed by FSSAI which would help consumers make informed food choices and bring to light the vendors who are operating without proper licenses and violating the safety norms. The app provides food safety tips, essential information about product and establishment and a hygiene rating for food product and outlet.

Would there be any acknowledgment for these vendors from the government?

Vendors would receive a government recognised certificate that would encourage them to continue upgrading their skills and knowledge through structured training to help them achieve a formal qualification.

Are food brands and restaurants also in the frame of quality testing?

We are working on a plan to bring all the restaurants in the food safety propaganda. We will partner with all food brands and restaurants in the country, train one member from each of them at FSSAI about the basic food safety and hygiene and they will be placed at these restaurants. Hence, it will become easier for both of us to make sure that the food served is meeting the basic hygiene tool and the person looking after it is trained by FSSAI.

How are you executing this initiative of providing safe street food?

We are planning to reach out to the smallest food vendors and see if they adopt the basic hygiene rule. In Phase I of the project, over two lakh street food vendors in identified areas would be taken up including all metropolitan and major cities, pilgrimage and tourist centres. There are 23,000 street food vendors in Delhi alone who are being trained, skilled and educated by our partners on hygiene factors. Based on the results, this would be rolled out in other places in the country. We are also planning to work out for Railways and Ports.

Nestle dragged to court in UP over 'sub-standard' Maggi

Barabanki/New Delhi, Mar 30: Nestle India and its two sellers have been dragged to court over alleged sub-standard Maggi noodles, a charge denied by the FMCG major which questioned the testing standards.

District Designated Officer Manoj Kumar Verma of Barbanki said that a case was lodged in the court of additional district magistrate yesterday after Nestle failed to reply to notices sent by it after samples were found "sub-standard during lab test at Gorakhpur".

When contacted, a Nestle India spokesperson said: "We have not received any notice from the concerned authorities about samples of Maggi noodles collected from Umesh Chandra, Barabanki. We have also not received any notice from the Court and we have heard about this only from a media report."

Asserting that Maggi is "100 per cent safe for consumption" the spokesperson said: "In recent past we have come across instances where in Uttar Pradesh, standards for 'Macaroni products' are being applied for 'Instant Noodles with seasoning' which is erroneous and misleading."

She further said: "We categorically re-iterate that testing of instant noodles against norms set for macaroni products will reflect in incorrect results and wrong interpretations."

Last year, Uttar Pradesh Food & Drug Administration took samples of Maggi from the shop of Umesh Chandra in Joshi Tola, which was purchased from Ravindra Traders.

According to Verma, "samples were found sub-standard during lab test at Gorakhpur" and notices were sent to Nestle and two sellers.

JK goes for online registration, licensing of food business operators

ParvezDewan, Advisor to J&K Governor, formally launched the system, in presence of Dr M. K. Bhandari, Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department (Commissioner Food Safety, J&K), an official spokesman said. 

With reports of food adulteration pouring in every day, the Drug and Food Control Organization on Wednesday launched an online system for issuing licenses and registration certificates to food business operators throughout the State. ParvezDewan, Advisor to J&K Governor, formally launched the system, in presence of Dr M. K. Bhandari, Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department (Commissioner Food Safety, J&K), an official spokesman said. Speaking on the occasion, Dewan stressed on the need for ensuring that the check of interest of health of the consumers, registration and licensing of operators dealing with food items must be undertaken, alongside strengthening the system for better monitoring and testing. 

 He also noted that consumers must be made sufficiently aware about consuming healthy, safe and wholesome food. 

Dr. Bhandari informed that it is for the first time that such an online system of registration and licensing of food business operators has been introduced in the State, which will benefit more than one lakh food business operators including hotels, restaurants, manufacturers, food vendors, hawkers among others. 

The Department has worked out a detailed mechanism in consultation with Food Safety and Standard Authority of India, National Institute of Smart Governance, Department of Information Technology, J&K for ensuring that the system is available as a convenient model registration to all the Food Business Operators. It shall require the applicant to simply approach the Common Service Centres (KHIDMAT Centres) and submit the details to the CSCs, based on which, the application would be uploaded on payment of nominal prescribed fee and within a stipulated time, the applicant would get a response through SMS alert as well as through email as to the certificate/license having been issued. The same can be secured by the applicant at his discretion from the CSCs or otherwise. 

Shridhar, General Manager, NISG Hyderabad informed that J&K is the first State in India to put into place the online registration system based on Common Service Centres. 

 This shall surely ensure that the vendors do not find difficulty in approaching the District Officers for securing their certificates/licenses, which was hitherto the case. 

“The system would, inter alia, eliminate inconsistencies, improved transparency and accountability, help in better managing the time lines, ensure streamline reporting and capturing of data base. It may be recalled that the Department had stopped manual registration/licensing since 1st March, 2016,” the spokesman said.

30 More Admitted to DHH for Food Poison

JAGATSINGHPUR: At least 30 more persons, who had taken ill after consuming stale ‘Dahi Bara’, were admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) on Wednesday. With this, the number of patients being admitted to the hospital for food poison due to consumption of stale ‘Dahi Bara’ rose to 80. On Tuesday, at least 200 villagers of Gopalpur, Putting, Jaisinghpur and Ainipur under Raghunathpur and Tirtol blocks had consumed ‘Dahi Bara’ from a cycle vendor, who sells the food item by moving from one village to another. After a few hours, the villagers complained of vomiting, stomach ache and diarrhoea. Some of them were rushed to Sanra Primary Health Centre and later 50 persons had to be shifted to the DHH. Medical teams of the DHH were also rushed to all the four villages to provide treatment to the other affected persons.

Sources said there are not enough beds in the DHH to accommodate all the patients as a result of which, they are forced to sleep on the floor. On the other hand, a squad from the Health department led by Food Safety Officer Amitav Das raided different food kiosks selling ‘Dahi Bara, Aloo Dum’ and ‘gupchup’ in Jagatsinghpur Raghunathpur and Tirtol and stopped the sales. Similar raids were conducted at Gandhi Chowk, Bada Bazaar and Sana Bazaar in Jagatsinghpur town. Vendors were asked to stop selling the food items for 15 days. Samples of the food items were collected and would be sent to the State Laboratory in Bhubaneswar for tests. Till now, unhygienic and stale food were being sold in many parts of the district in the absence of any monitoring by civic body and local administration.

Das said as raids are not being conducted regularly on roadside eateries and other food vendors, sale of unhygienic food is on the rise. Das added that the municipality does not have enough staff to conduct raids. He has sought the intervention of District Food Safety Committee to stop sale of ‘Dahi Bara’ and ‘gupchup’ in different parts of the district for the time being.

Collector Bijay Ketan Upadhaya visited the patients in the DHH and interacted with the health officials. He assured financial assistance to the patients for treatment and purchase of medicines. Meanwhile, Tirtol police on Wednesday detained the ‘Dahi Bara’ seller Gopal Nayak, who hails from Barunpada under Tirtol police limits. He had sold the food item in the four villages on Tuesday.

மாம்பழங்களை பழுக்க வைக்க ரசாயன கற்களை பயன்படுத்தினால் கடும் நடவடிக்கை பாயும் மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர் எச்சரிக்கை

சேலம், மார்ச் 31:

மாம் ப ழங் களை பழுக்க வைக்க, ரசா யன கற் களை பயன் ப டுத் தி னால் கடும் நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும் என, மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை நிய மன அலு வ லர் அனு ராதா எச் ச ரித் துள் ளார்.

சீசன் தொடங் கி யுள் ள தால் சேலம் மார்க் கெட் டு க ளில் மாம் ப ழங் க ளின் வரத்து அதி க ரித் துள் ளது. பொது மக் க ளும் ஆர் வ மு டன் மாம் ப ழங் களை வந்து வாங் கிச் செல் கின் ற னர். இத னி டையே மாம் பழ மண்டி உரி மை யா ளர் கள் மற் றும் வியா பா ரி க ளு ட னான ஆலோ சனை கூட் டம் சேலத் தில் நேற்று நடந் தது. கூட் டத் திற்கு, சேலம் மாவட்ட மாங் காய் மற் றும் பழ வியா பா ரி கள் சங்க தலை வர் குப் பு சாமி தலைமை வகித் தார். செய லா ளர் உமா பதி முன் னிலை வகித் தார். இதில், பொரு ளா ளர் லட் சு ம ணன், துணை செய லா ளர் சேஷா, சட்ட ஆலோ ச கர் கணே சன் உள் பட பலர் கலந்து கொண் ட னர். இது கு றித்து உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை நிய மன அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் அனு ராதா கூறி ய தா வது:

சீசனை பயன் ப டுத்தி மாம் பழ விற் ப னையை அதி க ரிக்க, ரசா யன கற் க ளைக் கொண்டு மாம் ப ழங் கள் பழுக்க வைக் கப் ப டு கின் றன. குறிப் பாக கார் பைட் கற் கள் அதி க மாக உப யோ கப் ப டுத் தப் பட்டு வரு கி றது. இதி லி ருந்து வெளி யே ரும் அசிட் டி லின் என்ற வாயு, பழத் து டன் கற் களை வைத்த 10 முதல் 12 மணி நே ரத் தில், பழத் தின் பச்சை நிறத்தை மஞ் ச ளாக மாற் று கி றது. இத னு டன் ஆர் சி லின் என்ற வாயு வும் ெவளி யே று கி றது. இவ் வாறு பழுக்க வைக் கப் ப டும் பழங் களை சாப் பி டு வ தால், பல் வேறு உடல் பாதிப் பு க ளுக்கு ஆளாக நேரி டும். குறிப் பாக வாந்தி, வயிற் றுப் போக்கு, வயிறு எரிச் சல், தலை சுற் று தல், தோல் தடிப் பது போன்ற பாதிப் பு கள் ஏற் ப டும். தொடர்ந்து, நரம்பு மண் ட லம் பாதித்து ஞாபக சக்தி குறை வ து டன், சிறு நீ ர கம் மற் றும் கல் லீ ர லும் செய லி ழக்க வாய்ப் புள் ளது.

சேலத் தில் கடந்த சில வரு டங் க ளாக உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை யி ன ரால் மேற் கொள் ளப் பட்டு வரும் நட வ டிக் கை க ளால், 90 சத வீ தம் இது கட் டுப் ப டுத் தப் பட் டுள் ளது. தடையை மீறி ரசா யன கற் கள் மூலம் பழங் கள் பழுக்க வைப் பது கண் ட றி யப் பட் டால், உணவு பாது காப்பு தர நிர் ணய சட் டம் 2006ன் படி, வழக் குப் ப திவு செய் யப் ப டும். இதன் மூலம், ஒரு லட் சம் முதல் 5 லட் சம் வரை அப ரா தம் அல் லது ஒரு லட் சம் அப ரா தம் மற் றும் 6 மாதம் சிறை தண் டணை பெற்று தர நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும். தற் போது பழங் களை பழுக்க வைக்க, எத் தி லின் வாயுவை பயன் ப டுத் த லாம் என அரசே சில வழி மு றை களை அறி வித் துள் ளது.

இம் மு றையை வியா பா ரி கள் பயன் ப டுத்தி கொள் ள லாம். ரசா யன கற் களை பயன் ப டுத் தும் போது, மற்ற பழங் களை காட் டி லும் கூடு தல் எடை இருக் கும். மேலும், முழு மை யாக மஞ் சள் நிற மாக மாறா மல், ஆங் காங்கே பச்சை நிறம் தென் ப டும். இதனை பொது மக் கள் எளி தில் கண் ட றிந்து, ரசா ய னம் மூலம் பழுக்க வைத்த பழங் களை தவிர்க் க லாம். இவ் வாறு நிய மன அலு வ லர் அனு ராதா தெரி வித் தார்.

சேலத் தில் பழக் கடை உரி மை யா ளர் க ளு ட னான ஆலோ சனை கூட் டம் நடந் தது. இதில் மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை நிய மன அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் அனு ராதா பேசி னார்.

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பஸ் ஸ்டாண்ட் கடைகளில் குடிநீரின் தரத்தை ஆய்வு செய்த உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள்

 

தர் ம புரி, மார்ச் 31:

தர் ம புரி பஸ் ஸ்டாண் டில் உள்ள கடை க ளில், பேக் கிங் கில் பாது காக் கப் பட்ட குடி நீர் தான் உள் ளதா என உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி கா ரி கள் நேற்று அதி ரடி சோதனை நடத் தி னர்.

தர் ம புரி மாவட் டத் தில் கேன் க ளில் பேக் கிங் குடி நீர் விற் பனை செய் யும் நிறு வ னங் கள் 50க்கும் மேற் பட் டவை உள் ளன. இது தவிர சேலம், கரூர் மாவட் டங் க ளில் இருந் தும் கேன் குடி நீர் விற் ப னைக் காக கொண்டு வரப் ப டு கி றது. நடப் பாண் டில் மார்ச் மாதத் தி லேயே கோடை கொளுத்த துவங்கி விட் டது. இத னால் குடி நீ ரின் தேவை இரு ம டங் காகி, பேக் கேஜ்டு குடி நீர் கேன் கள் விற் பனை அதி க ரித் துள் ளது.

கேன் க ளில் அடைக் கப் பட்டு விற் பனை செய் யும் பாது காக் கப் பட்ட குடி நீர், முறை யாக சுத் தி க ரிக் கப் பட் டுள் ளதா என உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி கா ரி கள் திடீர் ஆய்வு நடத்த வேண் டும் என பொது மக் கள் கோரிக்கை விடுத் தி ருந் த னர்.

இதை ய டுத்து நேற்று, மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை நிய மன அலு வ லர் பிருந்தா தலை மை யில் பஸ் ஸ்டாண்ட் மற் றும் அதனை சுற் றி யுள்ள டீ கடை கள், ஓட் டல் கள், ஜூஸ் கடை க ளில் உள்ள குடி நீர் பாட் டில் களை சோத னை யிட் ட னர். அப் போது காலா வ தி யான குடி நீர் பாட் டில் களை விற் பனை செய்ய கூடாது என எச் ச ரிக்கை விடுத் த னர். இந்த சோத னை யில் உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி கா ரி கள் கோபி நாத், சேகர், நாக ராஜ், கும ணன், சந் தி ரன் உள் ளிட் ட வர் கள் ஈடு பட் ட னர்.