Food Safety Dept asked to ensure jaggery’s quality production

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, after reviewing the status of quality of gur (jaggery) production in the ghulaaries, on Wednesday directed the state Food Safety Department to ensure jaggery’s quality production in the State.

It was observed that few of the units, especially run by migrant labourers, are indulging in the unscrupulous practice of using unapproved chemicals for making gur, said the Minister.

The State’s Food and Drug Administration commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu informed the Minister that there are 617 ghulaaries in Punjab, which are engaged in processing of sugarcane to make gur and jaggery. These are small scale units normally functioning along the major roads, he said.

Pannu said all the unit owners have been provided one day training regarding good practices of making jaggery by Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana. It was also informed that a large number of ghulaaries in Punjab are producing good quality gur or jaggery which is even exported to other countries.

Sidhu asked the FDA Commissioner to conduct a thorough sampling of jaggery producing units.

He further asked the Commissioner to act strictly, including the closure of jaggery units, which are indulging in wrong practices which are harmful for human health.

The Minister directed that joint teams of officers of departments of Agriculture and Health should be constituted to complete the process of inspections of all the units in a period of 15 days.

In December, the jaggery processing tips were imparted to all the stakeholders under the Tandrust Punjab Mission.

Pannu, who is also the Tandrust Punjab Mission director, said that a similar exercise was conducted during the previous year as well wherein about 600 people were imparted training on ‘Sugarcane Juice Processing to Safe Jaggery’ by PAU.

During this season, nearly 200 people have been trained with the primary focus on enhancing the quality and hygiene of the produce, besides teaching them about chemical-free or organic formulation of jaggery.

Manipur raises nearly Rs 7 lakh as penalty for violation of food safety standards

Manipur collected a revenue of Rs 6,89,000 as penalty for violation of food safety standards in as many as 12 cases in the financial year 2018-19.

Manipur has the highest amount raised in the form of penalty for violation of food safety standards in the Northeast. This was reflected in the state-wise report of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on annual public laboratory testing reports 2018-19.

However, the report released through the Press Information Bureau (PIB), revealed that no one was convicted in the 12 cases in which penalties were imposed. It is learnt that 18 cases were taken up by the state government of which most of the cases were civil.

The report further said that the FSSAI received altogether 388 samples from Manipur for analysis of which 56 were found to be non-conforming, 28 found with labelling defects and 28 more substandard ones.

Of all the Northeastern states, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura could not raise any revenues as there was no case in which penalty was imposed as per the report.

Meghalaya raised second highest amount with Rs 1,93,700 in three cases including one criminal case.

While Assam moved seven criminal cases, penalties were imposed on five cases only raising Rs 77,000 only including 14 civil cases. Arunachal Pradesh also moved one criminal and seven civil cases and raised Rs 2,100 .

In terms of non-conforming samples, Manipur has the highest number followed by Nagaland with 202, added the report.

The PIB report stated that the implementation and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 primarily rests with the state/UT governments. FSSAI has been impressing upon the states/UT the need for strengthening regulatory infrastructure at state/UT level, including the need for addressing shortage of regulatory staff and placement of full-time officers, improvement in sampling and testing facilities among others, through quarterly meetings of central advisory committee, regular video conference with officials of food safety departments of concerned states/UT, it said.

Moreover, it pointed out that the FSSAI has released a sum of Rs 269.69 crore for the upgradation of 38 state food testing labs in 29 states/UTs by way of improvement of physical infrastructure, purchase of high end equipment and setting up of microbiological laboratories.

In addition, 54 mobile food testing laboratories, called Food Safety on Wheel, have also been delivered to 32 states/UTs, it added.