Aug 25, 2016
Vegetables under scanner ahead of festival season
HEALTH CONCERNS:During the festival season, markets in the city are flooded with vegetables even from places that are not the regular sources of procurement.
Food Safety officials are picking up random vegetable samples from the market to test them for the presence of any pesticide or insecticide residue.
Come the festival season, the market is flooded with vegetables even from places which are not the regular sources of procurement. The action by the Food Safety officials is part of preparations for the Onam and Bakrid festivals which are round the corner. The move is part of the test checking of vegetables in the pre-festival season, according to Food Safety officials.
Leafy vegetables are more likely to harbour chemicals. They have been found to carry high levels of chemicals in earlier tests. Various markets in the district, which source vegetables from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, have been selected for sample testing.
Samples have been sent to the Ernakulam Regional Analytical Laboratory and the laboratory at Vellayani in Thiruvananthapuram. The results are yet to be out, but the department would take strong action if the vegetables were found unfit for human consumption, said District Chief Food Inspector K. V. Shibu.
Other food items such as grocery are also being checked for adulteration, he said. Tea dust is one of the most adulterated items found in recent times. Some samples have been found with added synthetic colours and high levels of iron content.
Even the checks carried out and the awareness created by Food Safety officials had not lessened the incidents of low quality and adulterated tea finding its way into the market.
Smuggling of ‘gutka’, ‘khaini’ continues unabated
Porous borders make A.P., particularly Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, a hub for sale of the contraband
Three days ago, a special team of the City Task Force (CTF), led by ACP I. Chittibabu, intercepted a goods van on the National Highway near Indira Gandhi Zoological Park and apprehended two persons, besides seizing 150 bags of banned ‘gutka’ and ‘khaini’ being transported in the vehicle camouflaged under vegetables.
The contraband was reportedly procured by smugglers at Berhampur in Odisha and being brought for sale in the districts of Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The market value of the seized stuff is estimated at Rs. 30 lakh.
‘Gutka’, ‘khaini’, and any form of ‘pan masala’ laced with tobacco or nicotine are banned in Andhra Pradesh under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act of 2006. Since its enforcement in 2006, the ban is being renewed for one year on January 9 every year.
“Initially, 16 States imposed a ban on the contraband. But later, States such as Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu lifted the ban,” said Mr. Chittibabu.
Despite the ban, the products have been finding their way into the State through the porous borders of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu. There are two main entry points — from Chennai to Hyderabad and Vijayawada and from Rayagada and Berhampur in Odisha to Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. “Whatever be the entry point, the hubs are Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada,” Mr. Chittibabu told The Hindu .
The mode of transport is by road. In most cases, it has been found that the gunnysacks contain three-fourths of the banned stuff and the remaining space topped with vegetable or household items.
If the products are moved by train, they are neatly packed, sealed, and transported through the luggage van, wherein various items are marked on papers. And they can be intercepted or caught only with prior information.
Game plan
While in most cases ban on an item affects the traders, in the case of ‘gutka’ and ‘khaini’, it is a blessing in disguise.
According to the police, there are a few people or smugglers based in Guntur, Hyderabad, and Visakhapatnam who have been funding the ban order. It is learnt that they dole out Rs.10 crore to Rs. 15 crore as party fund to enforce the ban. This will help them sell the stuff in the market at four times the normal rate. A packet with MRP of Rs. 5 is sold for Rs. 25 in Visakhapatnam.
“The ban also encourages the spurious market. There are units involved in the making of the banned products operating from houses in Berhampur and Rayagada,” said a senior police officer who had traced the origin of the delivery system.
Though there is a ban, the police are toothless as they do not have the power to arrest the accused.
“We can only seize the material and hand over the culprits and the material to the Food and Safety officials. There is no imprisonment and the fine is up to Rs. 2 lakh,” said Mr. Chittibabu.
It is learnt that in most cases, the accused pose as poor shopkeepers and get away with a meagre fine of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000.
In Visakhapatnam, the fine amount has not crossed Rs. 25,000. It is also learnt that the accused get away with the seized stuff by “managing” the officials concerned.
“Either the fine amount has to be huge, or the police or other enforcement agencies should be given the power to arrest. This apart, the accused should serve a jail term as in the case of NDPS Act. There should be some form of deterrence,” said Commissioner of Police T. Yoganand.
அதிகாரிகள் மெத்தனத்தால்த டை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்கள் விற்பனை அமோகம்
திருப் பூர்,ஆக.25:
தமி ழக அரசு தடை விதித் துள்ள போதி லும் திருப் பூ ரில் பல பகு தி க ளில் புகை யிலை பொருட் கள் விற் பனை அமோ க மாக நடக் கி றது.
உடல் நலத் துக்கு கேடு விளை விக் கும், பான் ம சாலா, குட்கா உள் ளிட்ட புகை யிலை பொருட் களை விற் பனை செய் ய வும், இருப்பு வைத் தி ருக் க வும், உணவு பாது காப்பு சட் டத் தின் படி தமி ழக அரசு தடை விதித் துள் ளது.
இப் பொ ருட் கள் விற் பனை மற் றும் இருப்பு குறித்து கண் கா ணித்து நட வ டிக்கை எடுக்க கலெக் டர் தலை மை யில் கமிட்டி அமைக் க வும் அரசு உத் த ர விட் டது.
அதன் படி திருப் பூர் மாவட் டத் தில் கலெக் டர் தலை மை யில் குழு அமைக் கப் பட் டது. இருப் பி னும் அதி கா ரி கள் சோதனை நடத் தா மல் சுணக் கம் காட் டு வ தால், பெரும் பா லான கடை க ளில் புகை யிலை பொருட் கள் தாரா ள மாக விற் ப னை யா கி றது. 5 ரூபாய் விலை யுள்ள புகை யிலை பொருட் கள், 10 ரூபாய் வரை விற் கப் ப டு கி றது.
திருப் பூர் புற ந கர் பகு தி க ளான முத லி பா ளை யம், சிட்கோ, காசி பா ளை யம், கோவில் வழி ஆகிய பகு தி க ளில் பனி யன் நிறு வ னங் கள் அதி க ள வில் உள் ளன. பீகார், மேற் கு வங் கம், ஒடிசா, அசாம் போன்ற வெளி மாநில தொழி லா ளர் கள் அதி க ள வில் தங்கி வேலை செய் கின் ற னர். இவர் கள் பெரும் பா லும் புகை யிலை பொருள் நுகர் வதை வாடிக் கை யாக கொண் டுள் ள னர். புற ந கர் பகு தி யாக இருப் ப தால், அங் குள்ள கடை க ளில் , பான் ம சாலா, குட்கா, உள் ளிட் டவை, தங் கு த டை யின்றி கிடைக் கி றது. இதை ஆய்வு செய்து, தடுக்க வேண் டிய உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி கா ரி கள் மற் றும் போலீ சார் மெத் த ன மாக உள் ள னர்.
மளிகை கடைகளில் அதிகாரிகள் ஆய்வு
சூள கிரி, ஆக. 25:
சூள கி ரி யில் உள்ள மளிகை கடை க ளில், தடை செய் யப் பட்ட பிளாஸ் டிக் பொருட் கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கி றதா என, உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் சுவா மி நா தன் நேற்று ஆய்வு நடத் தி னார்.
கிருஷ் ண கிரி மாவட் டத் தில் தடை செய் யப் பட்ட பிளாஸ் டிக் பொருட் கள் விற் ப னையை தடுக்க, உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி கா ரி கள் ஆய்வு நடத்தி வரு கின் ற னர். இதன் ஒரு பகு தி யாக சூள கிரி உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் சுவாமி நாதன், ஓசூர் உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் துள சி நா தன் மற் றும் அலு வ லர் கள், சூள கி ரி யில் உள்ள கடை க ளில் நேற்று ஆய்வு செய் த னர். சூள கி ரி யில் மளிகை கடை கள், இறைச் சிக் க டை கள், ஓட் டல் கள் மற் றும் டீக் க டை கள் என 300க்கும் மேற் பட்ட வர்த் தக கடை கள் உள் ளன. ஓசூர், கிருஷ் ண கிரி சாலை யில் உள்ள மளிகை கடை க ளில் தடை செய் யப் பட்ட பிளாஸ் டிக் பொருட் கள், காலா வ தி யான குளிர் பா னங் கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கி றதா என அவர் கள் ஆய்வு செய் த னர். இந்த ஆய் வில் பொருட் கள் ஏதும் பறி மு தல் செய் யப் ப ட வில்லை.
Provisions of safe food should become a part of our ingrained culture: J P Nadda
Shri J P Nadda commemorates a decade of Integrated Food Law in the country
FSSAI announces 10@10 initiatives
Commemorating a decade of integrated food law in the country, and marking ten years of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in his congratulatory message underscored the 'need for the Authority to focus on empowering the consumers so that the manufacturers and suppliers of food products become responsive to consumer needs, demands and expectations.' He further added that 'safe an, wholesome and hygienic food will create a 'Swasth Bharat'. And this has to be cornerstone of the efforts of FSSAI.'
Speaking at the function organised by FSSAI to commemorate 10 years of the enactment of Food Safety and Standard Act (FSSAI Act), here recently, Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, stated that “Food safety is a very important health and economic issue. It has high employment potential, can boost exports of agro-products out of the country, and also provide better returns to farmers for their produce. Provisions of safe food should become a part of ingrained culture in our country.” He further added that the FSSAI Act is a paradigm shift from regulatory regime under the provisions of Food Adulteration Act to self-regulatory and facilitatory regime. “Now, basic ground work is done. We are ready for big leap forward,” Shri Nadda said. Shri C K Mishra, Health Secretary, Government of India was the Special Guest on this occasion.
Shri Nadda appreciated the unrelenting efforts of FSSAI towards food safety in India. In his address, he emphasized upon ‘two-way communication’ between the food businesses and the regulator. He advised that the Authority should be fully aware of the need and concerns of small food businesses as well in its work of standard formulation and compliance. He further added that during the last 10 years, considerable ground has been covered in terms of achieving the goals of laying down scientific standards and regulating the manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale and import of food items for the people of India. FSSAI stands for trust and compliance and the synergy between the industry and the authority will ensure that this trust is well placed.”
On this occasion, the Union Health Minister also released the special commemorative volume – a compilation of the history and over fifty invited articles from the scientists, experts, industry people and consumer organizations. Shri C K Mishra, Union Health Secretary also addressed the audience with inspiring messages on the need for collaborative efforts towards setting up of food standards and its implementation strategies.
In his opening address, Shri Ashish Bahuguna, Chairperson, FSSAI said, “One of the most significant provisions of the formation of FSSAI was for setting national benchmarks, regulations and guiding principles for Food Safety and Nutrition. We have completed 10 formative years of this act and are now striving to work towards a collective approach for building safe food culture in India because Food Safety cannot be ensured by enforcement alone.”
Commemorating this milestone, FSSAI also announced 10@10 – 10th anniversary with 10 initiatives. The primary focus of the 10@10 initiative is to engage with stakeholders and consumers to create food safety culture in the country. This bouquet of 10 initiatives focused on safe and nutritious food at home, school, workplace, religious places, in trains and railway stations, in restaurants and other places. The event also saw launch of Food Safety Display Boards that would help to connect the consumers directly to food safety officers. Under the Corporates4FoodSafety initiative, the corporates committed themselves to collaborate, educate and inspire other stakeholders towards food safety as responsible food businesses.
Referring to the 10@10 initiatives, CEO, FSSAI, Shri Pawan Agarwal said that all these initiatives have been developed collaboratively over the past few months along with other stakeholders and partners. He informed that States would be facilitated to implement them on pilot basis over the next few months and thereafter national roll out of these initiatives would be done possibly by next year. He also referred to other initiatives of the FSSAI such as on national milk quality survey, food fortification, farm to trade - bridging the standards divide, rediscovering the rich culinary heritage of India, standards for organic food, eLearning Portal and simplification of registration and licensing regulations.
There were two panel discussions prior to the main event. One on “Food Safety in unorganized sector – Challenges & Opportunities” focused around mass training programme for small and petty food businesses like street food vendors, fruits and vegetable vendors and other in partnership with Skill India and sustaining these efforts with corporate participation. The second panel discussion on “Food Safety a shared responsibility” dealt with need for taking joint responsibility by all stakeholders in assuring food safety.
Also present at the function were members of the food sector fraternity including the science community, industry - big corporates as well as small and medium food businesses represented by their associations, consumer and citizen organizations, international organizations and foreign missions, experts and government officials from Central ministries and States and other key stakeholders.
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