Oct 22, 2018
Rs 4 lakh fine imposed on Valley firm for supplying sub-standard food item
JAMMU, Oct 21: Adjudicating Officer (under FSSA 2006), Jammu has imposed a fine of Rs 4 lakh on M/s Wani Brothers of Shopian for supplying sub-standard ‘Chana’ (gram) Whole to the ICDS centers of Khour Block in Jammu, besides directing the accused firm to replace the supply immediately.
Food Safety Officer, Block Pallanwala, district Jammu, had inspected the premises of ICDS Store CDPO Office Khour Block Pallanwala on August 18, 2018 and collected sample of the nutrition supply of Chana Whole with a view to get it tested from the Food Laboratory, Jammu so as to see whether it meets the requisite standard of the food item as laid down in the Regulation framed under Food Safety and Standard Act (FSSA), 2006.
The report of Food Analyst was received on September 4, 2018 in which he declared the Chana Whole as sub-standard while stating that the sample does not conform to the standards prescribed for Chana Whole under Regulation No 2.4.6 (9) of FSS Regulations, 2011 in respect of Weevilled Grains and damaged grains.
Meanwhile, the supplier also accepted the report of the Food Analyst as he did not opt to get it re-analyzed by any other referral laboratory even though he was given option under Rule 2.4.2 (6) of the FSSA 2006/Regulation framed thereunder.
Following this, Food Safety Officer, Block Pallanwala, after getting sanction of the competent authority, lodged a complaint against Managing Director/ Person-Incharge of M/s Wani Brothers in the court of Adjudicating Officer (under FSSA 2006), Jammu under Section 51 of FSSA 2006 punishable under Section 51 of FSSA 2006.
After hearing the complainant and the accused, the Adjudicating Officer (under FSSA 2006), Jammu in the order said as the accused has virtually admitted the charge of substandard supply and also has undertaken to replace the same, which he is otherwise bound as per his supply contract, a fine of Rs 4 lakh is imposed on the accused to be deposited within seven days in treasury or with this court, which shall be credited to the Government Account.
The court also directed the accused to replace the supply immediately so that children of Anganwari Centres in the area do not suffer, while stating that the menace of food adulteration and supply of sub-standard food items is increasing day by day and it requires strict legal and social response as it threatens the very existence of a healthy human society.
Unsafe bottled water gluts State market
GUWAHATI: How safe is an intake of packaged (bottled) water that has glutted the market in Assam, especially in Guwahati? A burning question!
As if taking the advantage of lack of any stringent laws, a section of companies doing the business of bottled or packaged water in the State has adopted some unscrupulous practices that pose a threat to consumers’ health. Laboratory tests conducted by the Food Safety Wing of the State Health and Family Welfare Department have found bottled water either misbranded or sub-standard or not safe for human intake. Since there is no stringent law to deal with such unscrupulous companies, the actions being taken against them are limited to issuing notices, warnings, and ban on their business for a few days. The companies that are warned or issued notices or banned for doing business for a few days opt not to adopt any foul play for a certain period, only to spring back to their usual unscrupulous selves when the situation becomes normal.
The Food Safety Wing of the State Health and Family Welfare Department tested 14 samples of bottled water in 2016-17. While the wing found two samples as misbranded and as many sub-standard ones, five were not safe for human intake. In fiscal 2017-18, the wing tested 19 samples and found two samples as misbranded, one as sub-standard and nine as unsafe for human intake.
The companies that sell over two metric tonnes of packaged water per day have to get their licenses from the food safety agency of the Government of Indian and those selling less than two metric tonnes per day have to get such licenses from the Food Safety Wing of the State.
According to official sources, various brands of bottled water are sold in Assam with Central or State licenses. The labels of such bottles read either packaged drinking water or mineral added to water or purified water. For purified water, a number of tests have to be carried out to ascertain its purity.
Sources further say that a large number of bottles of packaged water of diverse brands are sold daily in Assam. It is not possible to check each and every bottle of all the brands, and as such food safety officials have to go for random checking. The cases of misbranded and sub-standard water bottles are disposed of at the ADC (additional deputy commissioner)-level either by charging fines or issuing notices or warning, but the cases of water bottles which are not safe for human intake are sent to the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court for judgment.
An official said: “We take action as and when we receive complaints from the public. We’re going to take stringent action against three companies. We’ve received complaints against the three companies and their packaged water bottles have also failed our tests.”
The people of the State largely depend on packaged water as piped water being supplied is not free from impurities. In such a situation, it is imperative on the part of the department concerned to take some stringent measures to get rid of the health menace. Regular inspection of drinking water bottling factories in the State is one way to solve the problem.
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