Jun 13, 2017
Ensure FSSA standards in milk, state told
The Madras High Court has directed the Health Secretary, Director of Food Safety and the Commissioner of Milk Development to take steps for effective implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) and file a report pertaining to the sale of adulterated milk by private milk suppliers.
Chennai:
The first Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar, before whom another public interest litigation regarding milk adulteration came up for hearing on Monday, also ordered notice to the 12 private milk producers, including Thirumala Milk Products Private Limited, Heritage Foods Private Limited and Hatsun Agro Products Ltd.
The officials, including the private milk producers, have been asked to file their counters by July 24. The petitioner R Karthikeyan of Shanmugapuram in Chennai submitted that as per the provisions of FSSA, 2006, firms selling milk in packets should get themselves registered with the authorities for collecting milk. Moreover, they should also get licence from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in respect of the quality of the milk sold.
Noting that the state established milk cooperative society Aavin has a market share of just 20 per cent and the private players have cornered the rest, he said under such circumstances, on May 24, 2017, the Dairy Minister revealed that the milk sold by the private companies contained formaldehyde, a cancer-causing substance.
Pointing out to the Minister’s firm stand and his assurance that samples are being tested in a lab at Mysuru, the petitioner said if adulterated and unsafe milk is permitted to be sold even after the Minister’s categorical assertion, it is against the health and safety of the people. He sought the court to direct the authorities to prevent the production and marketing of unsafe milk and confiscate such product that is being sold.
MTC bus depot canteens in pathetic condition
Bus conductors and drivers allege that they are not provided hygienic food or facilities at MTC bus depot canteens.
Chennai: Tiny room with tables occupied by flies feeding on spilt and dried food, soiled plates and murky drinking water – this is how the canteens for drivers and conductors at Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus depots look like.
Canteens at Chrompet, Ennore, Thiruvottriyur, Tondiarpet, KK Nagar, T Nagar, Ambattur, Central depot and majority of them in North Madras are in a bad shape.
“Initially, 600 gram of rice was served for all workers and there was more choice of food. Now, the quantity and quality of rice are not proper as there are no measuring cups and the canteen workers serve according to their wish,” rued K. Anbazhagan, joint secretary, Nethaji Transport Union.
He added that none of the canteens provides glasses and the workers get their own plastic bottle to fill water.
While some depots are equipped with metro water facility, some provide bore water. Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems do not work in bus stops and they literally drink murky and unhealthy water.
Bus drivers also allege that Pallavan House bus depot has all the facilities as all the officials, including managing director have their lunch in the place.
“They only charge one rupee per day for food, but that unhygienic meal and surroundings might cause many diseases which will both take a toll on our health and pockets. Neither does the department give us salaries nor food,” said one of the conductors at the T Nagar bus depot.
When DC questioned an official in T Nagar, he said, about 100 people eat in the depot every day and they clean the room twice. Workers in an inebriated condition, staying in the room at the depot pose a menace during lunch and spill the food.
“Authorities from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India inspected the food on Sunday and did not inform us about anything yet,” he said.
Moreover, an official from MTC said, following numerous complaints from drivers and conductors, they issued a notice to the canteens last week asking them to provide only water can or RO water to the workers. “We will form a committee this week and conduct raids from the coming Monday,” he said.
Checks in rice mills
Amidst persistent rumours over ‘plastic rice,’ especially in the social media, officials of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India have been conducting checks in rice mills and at the premises of retail and wholesale rice dealers across the district. All the 18 Food Safety Officers in the district were involved in the checks to physically verify the rice stocks at the mills and shops. “We are conducting physical checks as per instructions from our higher authorities over the past few days. However, so far no such rice made of any artificial substance has been detected,” a Food Safety Officer told The Hindu. The checks are essentially seen as a move to allay fears of the public.
Five Food Safety Officers in Tiruchi Corporation limits and one each in the three municipalities and those in the block level were engaged in conducting the checks. He indicated that the checks would continue and complaints, if any, would be attended.
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