No More Junk Food in Schools

It is a bad news for those school students who love junk food and aerated drinks instead of nutritious healthy foods. Awaken to the enormity of the problem of obesity especially among school students across the country; the Union Government is preparing guidelines to take junk food out of the school education across the country. By the end of July this year, school students will not have junk food outlets within 500 yards in any direction. The draft guidelines on regulating sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises would be ready by July, stated an official of the government. A private firm AC Nielsen ORG-MARG Private Limited has been hired in the process of framing norms to regulate availability of junk food and carbonated drinks within 500 years of school.

The guidelines will define what food is healthy and what is not. Most of the schools are welcoming the proposed move. Teacher’s community is all up for banning junk food in school premises. Doctors opined that it would be a welcome step if junk food is totally banned in schools. A renowned orthopedics said, “It is a forward looking step but beginning should be made from home.” School students should be made aware about the harmful impact of junk food on them, both physically and mentally, he added. “We all should welcome this step and help the authorities in its implementation for a healthy nation in the years to come, said Dr. Raj Bahadur, a renowned orthopedics in Chandigarh. In January last year, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had given six months to frame guidelines on banning sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around education institutions. Such a ban will set new standards for healthy food. It is observed in different studies that people in the age group of 16-30 are 5.47% underweight; 50% are having normal weight and 42.42% are obese. Reports also observe that people with sedentary jobs are more prone to overweight and obese than who worked in field because in sedentary jobs energy burn is less as compared to food intake.

Himachal Ranks Eighth in Male Obesity

Obesity has reached epidemic proportion in the 21st century. It needs a long-term strategy for prevention and management. Punjab tops the list of obesity cases both in male and female in the country. Punjab has 30.3% male and 37.5% female suffering from obesity. Himachal has also registered an increase in obesity cases. It ranks 8th in the matter of male obesity cases with 16% and 12th in female obesity (19. 5%) in the country compared. Haryana ranks 11th in male obesity with 14.4% and 6th in female obesity cases with 17.7%. Advent of information technology in our life resulted steep decrease in regular physical activities and caused progressive increase in obesity. An individual problem now has become a population problem.

What is Junk Food?

It has poor nutritional value and is considered as unhealthy. It is high in fat, sodium, or sugar content. It has little enzyme producing vitamins and minerals and contains high level of calories. It is responsible for obesity, dental cavities, type 2 diabetes and heart diseases.

Health Hazards

* Junk foods contain very high number of calories from sugar or fat with little protein, vitamins or minerals

* Junk foods are high in sodium, which can contribute to high blood pressure or hypertension

* Researches suggest that junk foods increase your risk for weigh gain, obesity and development of type 2 diabetes

* Raises cholesterol levels which further increase the risk of heart attacks

* Trans-fat abundant in junk foods is considered as the most harmful type of fat because it not only increases the ‘bad cholesterol low density lipoprotein levels but also reduces the good cholesterol with high density lipoprotein levels

Small restaurants serving big calories, salt

A average restaurant meal contains 58 grams of fat; which is 89per cent of a person’s recommended daily intake.

According to researchers from the University of Toronto, who examined the calorie, sodium, fat and cholesterol levels of 685 meals and 156 desserts from 19 sit-down restaurants around Canada, the average meal also contains 1,128 calories.

The Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture recommends consuming 2,000 calories per day. Just one restaurant meal likely contains more than half this daily intake. The researchers found that an average restaurant meal contains 151per cent of the recommended amount of sodium an adult should consume in a single day, 83per cent of the daily saturated and trans fats, and 60per cent of the daily value for cholesterol.

And even salads aren’t safe.

Mary Scourboutakos, a PhD student at the University of Toronto’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, and author on the study told MailOnline: ‘It’s important to note that all meal categories had a wide range of calories, so even within the lowest ranking category, which was salads (on average containing 657 calories), there were still some salads that contained up to 1,370 calories.’

‘Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that calorie, fat, saturated fat, and sodium levels are alarmingly high in breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals from restaurants.’ The restaurant industry is currently preparing an implementation of new rules that requires fast food chains with more than 20 locations to post calorie content information on all meals. However the study’s results suggest that it would be beneficial for all restaurants to display nutritional information of their products.

‘Addressing the nutritional profile of restaurant meals should be a major public health priority,’ the researchers explained. Ms Scourboutakos said there are a few high calorie ingredients to be weary of when ordering a meal from any restaurant. ‘When ordering a salad, watch out for non-vegetable ingredients such as croutons, bacon bits and cheese, and always ask for the dressing on the side, so you can control how much is added,’ she said.

‘When ordering a pasta meal, avoid cream sauces and don’t eat too much garlic bread; and when ordering a meat entree, be sure to choose a vegetable based side dish, such as a salad or mixed vegetables.’

As a rule of thumb, Scourboutakos recommends avoiding anything that’s fried, and advises consumers to save half of the entree for your next meal if the portion size is large. ‘Lastly, avoid caloric beverages, appetizers and desserts,’ she said. 

Inspect closed water units: green tribunal

The Hindu Of 121 packaged water units in and around the city, only 23 had the TNPCB’s consent

The packaging plants will remain shut until samples are tested and cleared
The National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, on Friday, directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the Commissionerate of Food Safety and Drug Administration to inspect the 92 packaged drinking water units that were closed recently.
It has asked them to submit a report on May 27 after analysing water samples obtained from these units that are located in and around the city. Until then, the units should remain closed.
On March 5, the Tribunal Bench, comprising Justice M. Chockalingam and Prof. R. Nagendran, took note of an article in The Hindu revealing pollution and contamination in water packaged by some of these units. When served with a notice, authorities, including the TNPCB, filed replies.
It came to light that there were 121 packaged water units functioning in and around the city and, of them, only 23 had obtained valid consent from the TNPCB. Based on a direction from the tribunal, the TNPCB served closure orders on 92 units.
S. Balaji, TNPCB member-secretary, appeared on Friday before the Bench and filed an action-taken report stating electricity supply to 78 of these units had been disconnected. Power supply to the remaining units too would be discontinued shortly.
Taking up five applications filed by individual units and the South India Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers’ Association, Justice Chockalingam and Prof. Nagendran said, “We are not against closure of water packaging industries completely. Our only concern is that procedures and norms must be followed while processing the water.”
Prof. Nagendran said, “We are making the TNPCB follow the norms. Water packaging should be done as per standard procedures.”
The counsel representing the units said the packaged water they had been supplying until now met the required quality norms. There was no illegality or violation of any procedure. They sought a stay on the closure orders.
S. Saravanan, TNPCB’s counsel, said the closure orders should continue until the quality of water supplied by the units was certified.

Green panel asks PCB to conduct water purity tests

CHENNAI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal on Friday ordered the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board And Commissionerate of Food Safety and Drugs department to conduct sample tests in all 92 private packaged drinking water units in and around Chennai. The units are being operated without valid licences from statutory authorities for several years. 

The bench, comprising Justice M Chokkalingam and R Nagendran, passed the interim order on petitions filed by the South India Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers' Association and others against the orders served by the pollution control board to close the units and disconnect power supply. 

"We are not against packaged drinking water industry. If there is a procedure, why can't you follow," the bench observed. When the counsels representing for units said the central ground water authority's clearance, a statutory order for extraction of groundwater for commercial use, could not be obtained since Tamil Nadu Groundwater Extraction Act 2003 was yet to be notified, the bench observed: "So will you be continuing for a century without licence." 

In its action taken report, the member secretary, pollution control board said there were 124 packaged drinking water units in and around Chennai. Of this, only 24 units have got consent orders to operate. In all, 92 units were served with closure orders and disconnection of power supply orders. Against this, electricity board has disconnected power supply to 78 units.

The toxic truth about ripe mangoes

Bring all illegal water units under scanner, says NGT

Bring all illegal water units under scanner, says NGT

A water purifying plant at Seith Nagar, in Egmore, which was shut down by the Green Tribunal, in Chennai on Friday
Making it clear that it was not against industries and was only concerned about the implementation of environmental laws, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), on Friday ordered an inspection of all packaged drinking water units operating without consent in and around Chennai to ascertain if the quality of water sold was as per regulations.
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) would inspect the 92 units and forward the water samples to the Commissionerate of Food Safety and Drug Administration (CFSDA), which would then analyse the samples for potability and submit a correlative report to the tribunal by May 27. Till then, the units would have to remain closed.
The violations of the companies came to light after the tribunal took cognisance of media reports on the issue. The TNPCB then submitted before the bench in the previous hearings that only 23 of the 121 water-packaging units in and around Chennai had valid consents.
The others were then closed following intervention of the tribunal.
When the matter came up before the southern bench comprising Judicial Member M Chockalingam and expert member Professor R Nagendran on Friday, a few more companies moved applications challenging the closure orders issued by the TNPCB and urged for an interim stay on the orders.
The companies, as well as the South India Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers’ Association, contended that the packaging units were not polluting companies and therefore did not fall under the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act invoked by the TNPCB to issue the closure orders.
Also, the companies argued that some of them did apply for consent to operate. But, this was denied by the Board citing the absence of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for groundwater extraction from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
“The fact is, the CGWA does not provide the NOC as the Madras High Court has banned extraction of groundwater for commercial purposes in the State till the Tamil Nadu Groundwater Management Act is notified. This has not happened,” argued the counsel for the companies and added that some of them have even been denied issuance of the applications for obtaining the consent.
However, counsel for the TNPCB, S Saravanan, contended that water purifying units employed the Reverse Osmosis (RO) mechanism.
The ‘rejects’ from the RO plants constituted effluents and, therefore, the board was well within its rights to invoke the provisions of the Water Act.
Further, the companies themselves had agreed at that time that they were operating all the while without valid consent from authorities, which was a clear violation of the law.
Passing orders, the bench said the “first and foremost thing” would be to ascertain quality of water supplied by the units that do not have valid consents.
Therefore, it directed the TNPCB to inspect the drinking water packaging units and place samples before the CFSDA for carrying out qualitative analysis to ascertain potability of water.

Green panel orders water purity tests in packaging units

 

Chennai: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal on Friday ordered the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the food safety and drugs department toconductsampletestsin private packaged drinking water unitsin and aroundChennai, that were being operated without valid licences from statutory bodiesfor years. In its submission to the tribunal on Friday, the pollution control board said out of 121 packaged drinking water units operating in and around Chennai, only 23 unit shave consent to operate. 

The bench, comprising Justice M Chokkalingam and technical member Prof R Nagendran, passed the interim orders on Friday, on the petitions filed by the South India Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers’ Association and others, seeking relief from the PCB’s closure orders. When one of the counsels representing the units said they were extracting water from borewells in their own premises, the bench observed, “We have a borewell,so can we sell it?” 

The panel went on to add, “Had we not taken up the issue, you would have carried on the business for a century (without obtaining licences).” Earlier, additional commissioner of food safety department, B Vasakumar, summoned by the bench,said the facilities available in the King Institute’s lab could test only 15 samples a week and it would take more than six weeks for the 90 samples to get tested. 

The packaged drinking water manufacturers could not obtain statutory clearances from PCB or central ground water authority, since the Madras high court had, in February 2011, ordered the state government not to allow extraction of groundwater for commercial purposes till the Tamil Nadu Groundwater (Development and Management) Act2003 is notified. 

When the PCB’s counsel argued that without certification on the quality of the water supplied by the units, the closure order should not be vacated, the bench ordered the packaged drinking water units to obtain applications for consent to operate from the board, and the latter to make necessary inspection of those units. 

It ordered the food safety department to carry out qualitative analysis for water potability and for the PCB and food safety departments to submit a report on May27.

Dinathanthi & Dinakaran

92 நிறுவனங்களின் குடிநீரை ஆய்வு செய்ய வேண்டும் ; தேசிய பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயம் உத்தரவு

சென்னை : சென்னை மற்றும் அதனை சுற்றியுள்ள பகுதிகளில்உள்ள, 92 குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்கள் தயாரிக்கும் குடிநீரை ஆய்வு செய்ய தேசிய பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயம் (சென்னை மண்டலம்) உத்தரவு பிறப்பித்துள்ளது.

சென்னையில் அனுமதியின்றி இயங்கி வரும் குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்கள் தொடர்பான வழக்கில், தேசிய பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயத்தில் நேற்று விசாரணை நடந்தது. மேலும், ஏற்கனவே, மாசுக் கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியத்திற்கு எதிராக தென்னிந்திய குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பாளர்கள் சங்கத்தினர் தாக்கல் செய்த மனு மற்றும், சென்னையில் உள்ள "சண்முகா அக்வா இன்டஸ்ட்ரீஸ், வாசு வாட்டர் சொல்யூசன்ஸ்' உள்ளிட்ட, ஐந்து நிறுவனங்கள் தாக்கல் செய்த மனுக்கள் மீதான விசாரணையும் நடந்தது.

விசாரணையில் நேரில் ஆஜரான, மாசுக் கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரிய உறுப்பினர் செயலர் பாலாஜி கூறியதாவது: இதுவரை, மாசுக் கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரிய அனுமதி பெறாத, 98 நிறுவனங்களில், 92 நிறுவனங்களை மூட உத்தரவு பிறப்பிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது; ஆறு நிறுவனங்கள் தாமாக முன் வந்து மூடி விட்டன. 92 நிறுவனங்களில், 78 நிறுவனங்களுக்கு மின் இணைப்பு துண்டிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது; மற்ற நிறுவனங்களின் மின் இணைப்பை துண்டிக்கும் பணி நடந்து வருகிறது. மேலும், 92 நிறுவனங்களில், சில நிறுவனங்கள் மட்டுமே, அனுமதிக்கான விண்ணப்பங்களை அளித்துள்ளன. அனுமதி அளிக்க வேண்டும் என்றால், அந்த நிறுவனங்கள் தயாரிக்கும் குடிநீரை மாதிரி எடுத்து ஆய்வு செய்வது அவசியம். இதற்கான பரிசோதனை மையம் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து துறையிடம் உள்ளது.இவ்வாறு, அவர் தெரிவித்தார்.

இதையடுத்து, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து துறையின் கூடுதல் ஆணையர், டாக்டர் வாசகுமார் ஆஜரானார். அப்போது, பரிசோதனை மையத்தில், குடிநீர் மாதிரிகளை ஆய்வு செய்வது குறித்து ஆலோசிக்கப்பட்டது. பின்னர் தீர்ப்பாய நீதிபதி சொக்கலிங்கம், உறுப்பினர் பேராசிரியர் நாகேந்திரன் ஆகியோர் பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவு : மூடப்பட்ட, 92 குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்கள், விதிமுறைகளை பூர்த்தி செய்து, அனுமதிக்காக, மாசுக் கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியத்திற்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க வேண்டும். அவை, விதிமுறைகளை பூர்த்தி செய்துள்ளனவா என்பதை வாரியம் ஆய்வு செய்ய வேண்டும்.

மாவட்ட சுற்றுச்சூழல் பொறியாளர் உள்ளிட்ட மாசுக்கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரிய அதிகாரிகள், சம்பந்தப்பட்ட நிறுவனங்களின் குடிநீர் மாதிரியை சேகரித்து, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து துறையிடம் ஒப்படைக்க வேண்டும். பரிசோதனை மையத்தில், அவற்றை ஆய்வு செய்ய வேண்டும். பிறகு, மாசுக் கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியமும், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து துறையும் தங்களின் ஆய்வறிக்கைகளை, வரும், 27 ம் தேதி, தீர்ப்பாயத்தில் தாக்கல் செய்ய வேண்டும்.

ஆய்வு செய்யும் மாதிரிகளை, வழக்கு முடியும் வரை, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து துறை தங்கள் வசம் வைத்திருக்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு, உத்தரவில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இந்த வழக்கு விசாரணை வரும், 27ம் தேதிக்கு ஒத்தி வைக்கப்பட்டது

 

PRODUCT APPROVAL PROCEDURE

Delhi High Court dismisses the appeal of Marico Limited in the case of comparative advertising case Marico Limited vs Adani Wilmar Limited

Marico Limited filed two suits seeking permanent injunction restraining Adani Wilmar Limited from broadcasting, publishing and printing the advertisement of its product “Fortune”. Both the companies are the manufacturers of rice bran oil. Saffola is the brand name of the plaintiff’s product and the brand name of the defender is “Fortune”. The plaintiff argued that the advertisement of the defendant disparaged the goodwill and reputation of Saffola. The suite is a unique example of controversial comparative advertising
The plaintiff raised objections to the following claims and statements issued by the “Fortune” rice band oil in print and visual media.

• The healthiest cooking oil of the world.
• 100% RBO being 100% healthy.
• Healthier than other cooking oils.(It means it is healthier than Saffola brand rice brand oil)
• The product is good for not only heart; it is also good for cholesterol immunity, skin and hormones.

The plaintiff claimed that

• The advertisings are factually incorrect, vague and misleading.
• The claims were not scientifically or technically established.
• The advertisement was comparative in nature and it intentionally puffed up the competitor’s product.
• The reputation and the standing of the plaintiff were damaged due to the unfair and disparaging advertisement.
• The claims of the defendant violated S. 24 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The senior counsel of the plaintiff raised the following points in his arguments:-
The claim of highest Oryzanol content in Fortune oil is a misleading fact. Under the Food Act and the Notifications It is mandatory to have Oryzanol content not less than 1% in rice ban oil. As Saffola brand of the plaintiff is the mix of rice ban and other cooking oils, it also contains the same proportion of Oryzanol. No document was submitted by the defender in support of the claim that Oryzanol reduces the chance of cancer.
The claims of health benefits by defendants are derived from the popular beliefs or newspapers. There is no scientific evaluation of the claim.
The defendant produced a paper submitted by Mr. Michihiro Sugano and Mr. Etsuko Tsuji titled RBO and Cholesterol Metabolism presented at VIIth Asian Conference of Nutrition it is shown that the finding is of blend of 7 parts of RBO with 3 parts of Safflower Oil unexpectedly enhancing the cholesterol-lowering potential of RBO. Therefore, the claim “100% RBO being 100% healthy” is also false and misleading.
The plaintiff also informed that they also lodged a complaint against the advertisement with the Advertising Council of India and which complaint was partly allowed.
The senior counsel of defendant (Adani Wilmar Ltd.) contended that the said advertising only highlighted the qualities of their product Fortune without disparaging the goodwill of plaintiff’s product. In support of their claim, “100% RBO being 100% healthy”, they produced the documents three other RBOs namely ‘Ricela’, ‘Nutrela’ and ‘California Rice Oil Company’ which also claimed that the RBO is the healthiest oil. He also argued that the plaintiff has accused only the defendant, said nothing against the other three.
The division bench said that the court did not get any evidence of denigrating the plaintiff product in its advertising. The advertising informed the consumers that Oryzanol content in Saffola is less than Fortune. The plaintiff did not dispute the cholesterol reducing ability of Oryzanol or presence of Oryzanol in Saffola and Fortune . The court also observed that the advertisement was about showing that the defendant’s product was sufficient to meet the requirements of human body.
The court dismissed the appeal of defendant on the basis of its observation. Court also gave permission to Marico for withdrawing the appeal on 18th. April, 2013. Marico withdrew its appeal on 29th. April, 2013.

309 packaged water units on strike

Chennai: Over 309 ISI certified packaged drinking water units belonging to TN Packaged Drinking Water Manuf­acturers Association (TNDWMA) have stopped production since Wednesday, protesting the closure of 103 units in Ch­ennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur by TNPCB (TN Pollution Control Board) for not obtaining pollution control license.
Chennaiites rely solely on packaged drinking water owing to uncertainty over supply from the fast depleting city reservoirs, which only store 2.6tmcft, against total joint storage of 11.057tmcft.
TNDWMA on Thursday petitioned the CM to drop the charges against the 103 units and relax the rule making it mandatory to avail TNPCB license.
“There is no need to get TNPCB nod," argued TNDWMA patron V. Murali. Claiming that all units have BIS and FSSA (food safety and standard aut­hority of India) quality ce­rtification and over 50 tests were conducted be­fo­re supplying people, Murali said if the water did not conform to central standards, BIS closes the unit.
As per TNPCB norm, every 10,000 litre capacity plant should have one hectare of land to discharge residual water. "Over 90 per cent units are small scale industries that produced over 2000 cans. How could they afford so much land in Chennai?" Murali wondered threatening not to restart production.

Officials launch ‘mango raids’

• As mangoes have already flooded the wayside stalls from the neighbouring states, the Food Safety authorities are finding it hard to conduct regular checks on these seasonal fruits.

With the mango season in full swing, the Food Safety authorities have also geared up to meet the challenges posed by the artificial ripening of the fruit using chemicals. 

As mangoes have already flooded the wayside stalls from the neighbouring states, the Food Safety authorities are finding it hard to conduct regular checks on these seasonal fruits. However, the authorities have intensified their drive against the sale of mangoes which have been allegedly ripened using chemicals. They raided many wholesale and retail shops in the district and seized large quantities of the fruit.

With complaints rising, the authorities have decided to intensify the drive in the coming days. The authorities said that apart from Calcium carbide, ethereal chemicals are also sprayed on the mangoes for ripening.

The Food Safety departments in the neighbouring states had informed the Food Safety authorities here about the use of plant growth regulator hormones for ripening mangoes. After the report from the neighbouring states, the Food Safety authorities here took about 70 samples of mangoes, which were allegedly ripened using such chemicals, from various markets across the state. The samples have been sent to the Government Analytical Lab. Officials said that prosecution proceedings would be initiated only after the  results are received.

Though the Food Safety authorities have intensified their drive, sale of mangoes is rampant in many parts of the district.

Government draws up plan to act tough on food safety norms

The State Government has decided to strictly enforce food safety standards in view of the mushrooming of roadside eateries and hotels.
It has been decided that food safety standards will be enforced by a single authority. Earlier, this was done by several authorities. Food safety standards will be enforced by the food safety commissioner who will be assisted by officials at different levels.
Director of Public Health will be designated as Commissioner, Food Safety. The Food Inspectors will be designated as Food Safety Officers.
Official sources said 12 new posts will be created. There will be 38 Food Safety Officers with 30 out of them posted at district level and eight in urban local bodies. It has been proposed to declare the additional district magistrates (ADMs) of all districts as adjudicating Officers.
Implementation of food safety standards will be governed as per the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 which envisages developing an effective enforcement machinery to ensure safety in sale and consumption of food. The Act has integrated 8 different Acts and orders like Prevention of Food Adulation Act, 1954; Fruit Products Order, 1958; Vegetable Oil Products (control) Order, 1947; Edible Oil Packaging (regulation) Order, 1988; Solvent Extracted Oil Deoiled Maal and Edible Flour (control) Order, 1967; Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992 and other orders relating to food under Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has also started functioning as a regulatory body under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
All food dealing business units having annual turnover of more than ` 12 lakhs will have to avail licence and the shops having less than ` 12 lakh turnover will have to be registered.
It has been decided that a steering committee at the State level will be constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary and the district committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of respective Collectors.
It has also been decided that five cluster food testing laboratories will be set up in the State. Each cluster will cover 4 to 5 districts.
Mobile food testing laboratory will be set up to cover remote area, large public congregations and disease outbreak areas. The clusters will be developed in urban areas like Berhampur, Cuttack, Puri, Balasore and Rourkela.
Official sources said a decision has been taken to involve panchayatiraj institutions in implementation of the Act with technical support from primary health centres.

Dinamalar & Dinakaran

தமிழகத்தில் பான், குட்காவுக்கு ஓரிரு நாளில் தடை

தமிழகத்தில் பான், குட்காவுக்கு அரசு தடை விதித்துள்ள நிலையில், அதற்கான அரசாணை ஓரிரு நாளில் வெளியிடப்படும் என, தெரிகிறது.புகையிலையால் ஏற்படும் பல்வேறு வகையான புற்று நோய்களைத் தடுக்கும் வண்ணம், தமிழகத்தில், குட்கா, பான் மசாலா போன்ற சுவைக்கும் புகையிலைப் பொருட்களுக்கு தடை விதிக்கப்படும் என, முதல்வர் ஜெயலலிதா, சட்டசபையில், 110வது விதியின் கீழ், கடந்த, 8ம் தேதி அறிவித்தார்.இதன்படி, புகையிலைப் பொருட்கள் தயாரிக்கவும், சேமித்து வைக்கவும், வினியோகம் செய்யவும், விற்கவும் தடை விதிக்கப்படுகிறது. கடைகளில் விற்பனை கட்டுக்குள் வந்திருந்தாலும், மறைமுகமாக, பதுக்கி வைத்து விற்பனை செய்வது தொடர்கிறது. இதை தடுக்கும் நடவடிக்கைகள் இன்னும் துவங்கப் படவில்லை.இதுகுறித்து, வணிக வரித் துறை அதிகாரிகள் கூறுகையில், "வரி ஏய்ப்பு நடந்தால் மட்டுமே நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க முடியும். பான், குட்கா தடைக்கான நடவடிக்கைகள் எல்லாம், உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறை தான் மேற்கொள்ளும்' என்றனர்.இதுகுறித்து, உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறை அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறுகையில், "பான், குட்கா மற்றும் சுவைக்கும் புகையிலைப் பொருட்களுக்கு தமிழக அரசு தடை விதித்துள்ளது. விற்பனை செய்யக் கூடாது என, அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளோம். எனினும், இதற்கு முறையாக அரசாணை வெளியானதும், நடவடிக்கைகள் துவங்கும்; அரசாணை, ஓரிரு நாளில் வெளியாகும்' என்றார்.

Tobacco firms press to end ban on gutkha

With the one-year ban period on the sale of gutkha and paan masala fast drawing to a close in two months'time, the authorities are coming under pressure from tobacco companies and even certain politicians not to extend the ban.

Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi of Tata Hospital, who spearheaded the campaign that resulted in the ban has said that he has been facing tremendous pressure from various politicians not to re-notify the ban for a second year.

Tata Hospital apart, the commissioner of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) is also under pressure from tobacco companies which are supported by few politicians, not to support extension of the ban, according to sources from the FDA.

The ban was implemented after the Food Safety and Standards Act was passed, stating that no product should contain any substance injurious to health. Tobacco and nicotine, it specifically mentioned, should not be used as ingredients in any food products.

The FDA has to submit a report to the government by July 19, regarding extension of the ban.

Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, Dr Chaturvedi who is associate professor of the Head & Neck Dept of Tata Hospital, said that with the deadline fast approaching, representatives of the tobacco lobby were frequently meeting him and even writing to him not to re-notify the ban. "While they want the ban on both gutkha and paan masala to be lifted, they have said that if not gutkha, at least I should not peruse the banning of paan masala. I don't want to mention names, but a couple of politicians too approached me, asking me why Tata Hospital wanted to intervene in the matter, and to let the State decide."

Recently, the FDA commissioner met with Tata Hospital doctors, the Salaam Bombay Foundation and other anti-tobacco activists to seek their opinion on the extension of the ban.

Dr Chaturvedi said, "Some tobacco companies want paan masala to be excluded, but how can we do that? Our study clearly suggests that paan masala too contains certain supari which causes cancer and other respiratory problems. In fact, we have patients who only chewed paan masala, but are suffering from mouth cancer. We will place such facts before the State Cabinet."

In India, 10 lakh smokers and tobacco chewers die every year. Over 90 per cent cases of oral cancer are caused by tobacco use.

An FDA official, on condition of anonymity, said that in the past year FDA seized around Rs 16 crore worth gutkha and paan masala in the state. "Obviously tobacco companies are unhappy about this and their representatives have been frequenting the FDA office, trying to convince the authorities that paan masala should be deleted from the ban clause," he said.

Denmark warns against rice-based cereals for children

Copenhagen, May 16:  

Denmark’s Veterinary and Food Administration said on Wednesday that parents should stop giving their children rice cakes and rice milk, saying the products contained unacceptable levels of inorganic arsenic.

The food safety authority said inorganic arsenic, a known human carcinogen, is naturally found in rice.

“People who eat foods with inorganic arsenic every day have an increased risk of cancer,” the authority said in a news release published on its website.

It added that parents should be “particularly careful” in relation to children due to their high intake relative to their body weight.

“Avoid rice drink and rice milk for children,” the authority said in recommendations on rice products, adding that children should not be served rice-based hot cereals every day.

It added that it had already begun new tests of other rice products to determine contents of inorganic arsenic, including products such as rice-based breakfast products and rice noodles. Analyses of these products were expected to be made public in July, the authority said.

In November 2012, US-based Consumerreports.org tested 200 different rice products finding both organic arsenic and “significant levels” of inorganic arsenic in almost all products. The organisation called for US federal standards to be introduced for arsenic in foodstuffs.

Safety checks on at mango trading centres

Fruit allegedly sprayed with chemicals for ripening could pose health hazard

Officials of the Food Safety Wing have been conducting inspections in mango wholesale trading centres across the State for the past two days, following reports that mangoes sold in the State were heavily sprayed with chemicals and that these could be a health hazard.
Ninety-seven samples of mangoes, suspected to have been sprayed with chemicals, have so far been sent to the Government Analytical Laboratories to test for the presence of chemicals.
In the inspections held on Thursday, 55 kg of raw mangoes were seized from Malappuram district after the Food Safety officials found that these were being ripened using calcium carbide. A fine of Rs.20,000 was imposed on the trader concerned. Last month too, Food Safety officials had seized and destroyed huge quantities of mangoes brought in from other States, after detecting calcium carbide along with the consignment.
The Commissioner of Food Safety said that their counterparts in neighbouring States had given the information that chemicals like Ethrel/Ethephon, which are plant growth regulators used for improving the growth of plants and for increasing productivity in orchards, were being sprayed by traders on mangoes to ripen them.
He said that the information had been passed on to the Science and Research wing of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Details had been sought on the possible harmful effects these chemicals could have on those who consume the fruit.
The Food Safety Commissioners in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have been requested to conduct stringent tests on the quality and safety of tomatoes, mangoes, pineapple and banana dispatched to Kerala, he added.
Food safety wing will continue their inspections on Friday also.

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55 kg raw mangoes seized from Malappuram

Neighbouring States asked to conduct strict tests

Adjudicating Officer imposes fine of Rs.30000

UDHAMPUR : The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Surat Singh who is also the Adjudicating Officer under Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006  has imposed a fine to the tune of  Rs. 20,000 on  Punjab based manufacturer  and Rs.5,000 each on  the wholesalers and retailers under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standard  Act 2006.
According to an order a penalty of Rs. 20,000  has been imposed on manufacturer Noni Food and Beverages Grewal Nagar Hambrah Ludhiana (Punbjab) and Rs. 5,000 each on the wholesaler and retailer  M.M Trading Corporation, near Hambrah Bye Pass Sidhara, Jammu  and Rajesh Kumar, son of Ram Lal resident of H.No.193, W. No. 16 Udhampur respectively.
The accused persons have been directed to deposit the penalty in District Treasury, Udhampur by or before 18th May, 2013 under Major Head -0210/ Med against proper receipt.
The complaint was lodged under section 26(2) (ii) /52 of  Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006  and rules made there under by the Food Safety Officer, Udhampur through Advocate Anuj Bakshi.

WATERLESS SUMMER HAS CHENNAI WORRIED

POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD TO CONTINUE RAIDS, CORPN WILL HELP TEST WATER 

     The pollution control board’s crackdown on illegal water packaging units may have been long overdue but, for the 20 lakh families that depend on the bubbletop cans, the timing could not have been more inopportune.
    Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has over the past 10 days shut down operations at 103 units, or around 35% of all packaged water manufacturers in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, and has promised to take action against other unauthorised units in the city.
    A senior TNPCB official said the board was acting on an order from the National Green Tribunal. The tribunal directed the board to take action against unauthorised units — those that were functioning without the consent of board. “We will carry out more raids in the coming days,” he said.
    “Water packaging units have to receive consent from the board under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981,” a TNPCB environment engineer said. But residents are worried they
will not have water to drink in the peak of summer. “What Metrowater and private tankers supply is unfit to drink,” said Sajan Xavier, who lives off Anna Salai. “Because of the strike some retailers are charging a premium for water cans they have in stock.”
    Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association said the units that were shut down followed all the norms required to ensure the water they supply is potable. “We supply purified groundwater without adding chemicals. None of our BIS-certified units cause pollution,” said association patron V Murali. “The pollution control board’s allegation that the units are letting out sewage is false.”
    “It is not possible for all units to have 2.5 acres of land as the guidelines stipulate,” he said. “This kind of action will affect small-scale manufacturers and help multinational firms. The government should interfere and revolve the issue.”
    A TNPCB official who conducted checks at the units that were shut down refuted the association patron’s claims. “Most of the units operated out of congested rooms with no facilities for purification.” he said.
    While the TNPCB has promised to continue to take action against unauthorised units, officials of the state food safety department and Chennai Corporation said they will test water samples from across the city for contamination. They are likely to be accompanied by health officials from corporation, which will provide the food safety department vehicles, manpower and testing equipment.
    The civic body has begun testing quality of water being supplied by Metrowater. “We check for residual chlorine levels and brackishness which is a straightforward test,” a corporation official said. “Residual chlorine kills most harmful bacteria.”
    “We have asked our officers to conduct joint raids with the food safety department. We will collect samples and test them in our labs,” he said.
IF YOUR WATER IS UNSAFE, CALL TNPCB: 044-26268603 BIS: 044-22541442 Food safety department: 044-23813095 Chennai Corporation: 1913 Metrowater: 044-45674567

Experts fear that contaminated water will flood city shops

    The water you buy from your neighbourhood grocer is probably full of disease-causing bacteria packaged in an illegal manufacturing unit. Among the contaminants that regularly show up in laboratory tests are fecal coliform like E. coli that causes diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and gastric diseases. Some of the pathogens can lead to infections of the lungs, liver, kidneys, nervous system and skin. The water may also have bacteria that cause cholera and typhoid.
    Corporation health officials say the indefinite strike by BIS-certified packaged manufacturing units over the closure of 103 units by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board could have a deadly fallout. “The strike may result in a proliferation of unregistered packaged water units,” an official said. “These units are likely to start operations in a hurry to make the most of the situation. They are unlikely to pay any attention to hygiene.”
    With the Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association in no mood to relent, the strike could
continue for a prolonged period. Association patron V Murali said the board had sealed only BIS-certified units. “These are authorised units,” he said. “There are hundreds of illegal manufacturers across the city. If our strike continues, unlicensed units will flood the market with contaminated water and cause public health problems.”
    Public health experts say the water cans manufactured even by licenced units are often dirty, overused and damaged. “Some illegal operators fill branded bubbletop cans with water from borewells,” an expert said. “Some units use tap water and follow unsafe storage practices. A can should not be refilled more than 35 times, but nobody bothers about how many times a can is refilled.”
    Consumer rights activists point out that there is no mechanism to keep a check on illegal manufacturing units. Consumer rights activist R Desikan says most illegal manufacturing units draw water from borewells in agricultural land which is against the rules. “Water taken from agricultural land should not be used for commercial purposes,” he said. “The authorities failed to take any action against this illegal practice for a long time.” Sources say close to 45% of all water packaging units in the city are unlicensed. Some firms set up shop only during summer, when demand peaks.

குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களின் மின் இணைப்பு துண்டிப்பு

சென்னை : அனுமதியில்லாத, 92 குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களை மூட உத்தரவிட்ட, மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியம், அடுத்த கட்ட நடவடிக்கையாக, நிறுவனங்களின் மின் இணைப்புகளை, அதிரடியாக துண்டித்துள்ளது. தமிழகம் முழுவதும், பாதுகாக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீர் தருவதாகக் கூறி, ஏராளமான நிறுவனங்கள் பெருகி விட்டன. ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச் சான்று பெற்றிருந்தாலும், தரம் குறைவாக இருப்பது, இந்திய தர நிர்ணயத் துறை நடத்திய ஆய்வில் தெரிய வந்தது.

இந்த விவகாரம், தேசிய பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம் (தென் மண்டலம்), தாமாக முன் வந்து வழக்கு பதிந்து விசாரித்து வருகிறது. அனுமதியில்லாத குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களை மூட உத்தரவிட்டது. இதையடுத்து, மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியம் அதிரடி நடவடிக்கையில் இறங்கியது.

சென்னை, காஞ்சிபுரம், திருவள்ளூர் மாவட்டங்களில், அனுமதியின்றி செயல்படுவதாக கண்டறியப்பட்ட, 98 குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களில், 92 நிறுவனங்களை மூட உத்தரவிட்டது. இதைத் தொடர்ந்து, மின் வாரிய அதிகாரிகள் ஒத்துழைப்புடன், இரண்டு நாட்களாக, மின் இணைப்புகளை துண்டிக்கும் பணிகள் நடந்தன.

இதன்படி, சென்னை- 12, அம்பத்தூர்- 41, திருவள்ளூர்- 21, ஸ்ரீபெரும்புதூர்- 12, மறைமலை நகர்- 6 என, 92 நிறுவனங்களின் மின் இணைப்புகளும் துண்டிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளன. இதுகுறித்து, மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரிய அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறுகையில், "அனுமதியில்லாத குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களின் மின் இணைப்பு துண்டிப்பு விவரங்கள், இன்று, பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயத்தில் தெரிவிக்கப்படும்' என்றார்.

More than 90 pc mangoes in market infested with harmful chemicals

The Delhi High Court rapped the government for not pursuing regular inspections to check the food safety standards and directed them to file a report after checking whether any pesticides or chemicals are being sprayed in the Mangoes and other fruits or vegetables in the Capital.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Jayant Nath directed the Agricultural ministry to carry on surprise checks in the Azadpur Market as well as other wholesale vegetable and fruit markets and file their report in the court by May 29.
The Court directed the government to find out whether any pesticides, chemicals are being sprayed added on fruits, especially mangoes.
The court directed the government to take immediate action against those found guilty of spraying colour or chemicals on fruits and veggies.
The Court asked the ministry why they are not doing any regular checks in this regard.
'It is a continuing process. You don't have to be told every time. There are a whole set of guidelines. You have to implement them on regular basis,' the court remarked.
This is a serious issue which needs to be addressed immediately, the court said.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an NGO Consumer Voice through lawyer Sugriv Dubey who alleged that 90 per cent of mango being sold in the market this year has chemicals or artificial colours.
The sellers inject colours in the fruits and there is no check on such activity, the petitioner alleged.
The NGO alleged that more than more than 35 varieties of vegetables and fruits picked from Delhi markets were found to have pesticides and toxins beyond permissible limits.
The NGO contended that the vegetables and fruits being sold in Delhi contained poison, which can cause cancer and harm liver and nervous system, the NGO said.

Food safety department seized 55,000 gutkha pouches

INDORE: Around 55,000 of gutkha pouches worth Rs 1 lakh was seized in Indore on Wednesday by food safety department in a raid of four shops at different parts of the city. The gutkha pouches were sold at three times higher than the MRP.
Raids were conducted at Sindhi Colony, Juni Indore and Sarvate Bus stand. "Samples of Rajshri and Vimla gutkha have been collected during the raid," said food safety officer Manish Swami.
Swami said that the team reached Disha Traders in Sindhi Colony and collected 15 packets of Rajshri gutkha. One sample was collected from here. Thereafter, a team raided the godown of Kushaldas Khobani in Gali number 4 of Sindhi Colony and Jain Traders in Juni Indore and seized gutkha pouches.
Sale of gutkha is ban in the city so it is being sold in black and consumers has to pay at least three time of the printed price. Swami said the restricted material is smuggled into the city from adjoining states through different modes of transport. He said Kushaldas Khobani is a regular defaulter and gutkha was seized from his godown earlier also. The department will file a case against them and special court will decided the punishment.

China steps up inspection of meat trade after fake lamb scandal

(Reuters) - China has begun a crackdown on the sales of fake, diseased and tainted meat products after a series of scandals that have further dented public confidence in the food industry, the official Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.
It said the State Council, China's cabinet, recently ordered local government departments to step up checks on meat and processed meat products, and carry out detailed inspections of rural factories, workshops and warehouses as well as private slaughterhouses.
"The current water-injected meat, fake beef and mutton, dead livestock and other types of toxic and hazardous meat has aroused widespread concern," said the report.
"Local governments at all levels should strengthen their organization and leadership, to severely crack down on fake beef and mutton and other illegal and criminal activities."
Pork and poultry prices have suffered this year as a result of a series of food safety scandals, a bird flu outbreak and crackdown on expensive government banquets.
China has long been plagued by poor food safety standards, but many of the recent scares have involved its meat trade.
Earlier this month, the police said it had uncovered a crime ring that passed off more than $1 million in rat and small mammal meat as mutton.
It came after pictures of thousands of dead pigs dumped in rivers supplying Shanghai caused widespread outrage.
A media report last year uncovered excessive levels of hormones and antiviral drugs in chicken meat supplied to KFC, whose parent company is Yum Brands, and McDonald's.
Beijing has repeatedly called for greater inspection of food processing facilities to tackle food safety problems, but such actions appear to have done little to improve standards.
The latest clampdown will encourages local governments to offer rewards to people who inform on illegal activities.
The government also called for implementation of measures for the proper disposal of livestock that had died from disease.

Delhi awaits new facilitation centre: Licensing & registration of FBOs

THE licensing and registration of food business operators (FBOs), an exercise which is in progress in other parts of the country for the last one-and-a-half years, has still not started in New Delhi. The reason for this is said to be that the department of food is awaiting the completion of furnishing of the new facilitation centre coming up at Mayur Bhawan in Connaught Place.

It is pertinent to mention here that the deadline for licensing and registration expired, a couple of months ago, but was extended by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) till February 2014. Thus while three months of the extended deadline have already passed, the furnishing is yet to begin. Nevertheless, it has been learnt that the department has taken some steps for the giant task and appointed designated officers for the purpose of keeping an eye on the progress, once the work starts. 

K J R Burman, food safety commissioner, Delhi, "The centre at Mayur Bhawan would act as a facilitation centre for the purpose of licensing and registration for the districts where our officials would help and guide the applicants in filing of the papers." He felt that the delay was due to logistical difficulties.

Meanwhile, the biggest hurdle in the process of licensing and registration was the manpower, so the office of the Delhi food safety commissioner decided to make the whole process online. For this as well, the nod by the Food Safety and Standards authority of India (FSSAI) was still awaited by the authorities, though the State Bank of India had agreed to help the department in deposition of fees and so on.

While there were reports of the beginning of the process, Burman clarified that full-fledged operations would only start when the facilitation centre would get furnished with all the necessities. He informed that only those FBOs who operate within and outside Delhi  needed Central licences. Therefore they applied for the same and their matter was considered while the FBOs operating in Delhi needed to wait further.

He suggested that the focus of the department would remain the big players of food business having turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh, for which the licensing fee ranges from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,500, depending upon criteria like the annual turnover in terms of money and in terms of volume or import or export of food items.

Burman said, "For those categories, FBOs need various kind of licences like regional licensing or Central licensing." At Mayur Bhawan, facilitation would be provided to FBOs for all 11 districts of New Delhi. 

Though it was still not clear as to how many FBOs would be operating in the national capital, Burman said that he expected the numbers on the lines of Mumbai, where some 1.5 lakh licensing and registrations were done so far. 

Burman said that his department had done a lot of homework and hoped that efforts put in by the department would bear fruit.

DINAMALAR & DINAKARAN NEWS

Soon, raids in fruit markets to check pesticide content

The Centre will carry out raids at fruits and vegetables market across the city to ascertain whether pesticides and chemicals were being used to ripen them. Worried over the presence of pesticide residues in fruits especially in mangoes, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Government to find out if they contained such chemicals by carrying out surprise inspections in fruits and vegetables markets.
A bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Jayant Nath asked the Agriculture Ministry to carry out inspections to find the presence of any chemical in fruits, especially in mangoes, and take action against the persons responsible for that.
“This matter is concerned with public health and must be taken seriously. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) must hurry up with policies regarding the use of pesticides in agriculture,” the court said. While submitting before the court about presence of harmful pesticides in fruits and vegetables, advocate and petitioner Sugriva Dubey told the court on Wednesday, “Ninety nine per cent of the mangoes that we eat today are artificially grown. A chemical is applied on the fruit which triggers its growth in 12 hours. It is hazardous to health.”
The bench slammed the Government saying that the fact that this matter has been going on from last three years clearly shows sloppiness on the part of the Government. “The city Government must carry out raids or inspections in the markets and file a report within 15 days regarding the presence of pesticides,” the bench said.
Ministry of Agriculture told the court that they will submit their report within 15 days on the use of pesticides in farming. “The Governments have been asked to respond many times. We can’t wait for their reports as by the time they will file a response, the season for mangoes will be over. We need an immediate solution,” pleaded Dubey.
The petitioner alleged that mangoes brought from markets like Azadpur, Vishwas Nagar, Gazipur Mandi and IP extension had enormous amount of harmful pesticides. The petition also said that mangoes were laced with oxytocin and other chemicals like calcium carbide. The chemicals lead to various health hazards like headaches, depression, mental disorder and other diseases.
The objections on the presence of pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables being sold in the markets across the city have been raised time and again. In 2010, the high court had taken cognizance of the matter after a petition was filed. Since then, the court has been asking concerned government authorities to inquire and file a report on how to tackle this health hazard.

After drugs, zarda worth Rs 1.5cr seized at Pallel

IMPHAL: In the wake of a string of drug hauls at Pallel market in Thoubal district, which were to be sent to Myanmar via the border town of Moreh, two truckloads of zarda, also to be smuggled to the neighbouring country, was confiscated here.

Thoubal district police seized the mammoth consignment of different brands of zarda loaded in two trucks from six persons during a frisking near the gate of Pallel police station around 11.30pm on Monday.

A statement issued by Thoubal police said the value of the zarda kept in 345 cartons will be around Rs 1.5 crore in the open market. The arrested persons, along with the seized tobacco items, have been handed over to the food safety officer (Thoubal) for taking necessary action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The smuggling of tobacco to Myanmar alerted security agencies manning the Imphal-Moreh section of NH-2 as Manipur has banned sale, transportation, manufacture and consumption of smokeless tobacco products.

In February this year, the state government banned manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution, display, sale and purchase of gutka, khaini, zarda, paan masala and other chewable and smokeless tobacco products.

The statement added that Thoubal district police would continue to conduct raids in order to implement the government order in the interest of public health. It also sought cooperation and support from the public. A senior police officer said there were frequent instances of shipping tobacco products to Myanmar before the ban was imposed.

Dangerous practice

 

HEALTH HAZARD:

 

Packing hot tea in polythene packets that are not meant for packing food items is dangerous. But, this is common practice in Coimbatore tea stalls. R. Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing), says polythene reacts to high temperature by emitting styrene and bisphenol-A that are suspected to be carcinogenic and neurotoxic. 

 

They can cause cardiac and kidney problems, cancer and infertility. Packing of hot rice and other food materials like sambar and rasam will also have the same effect. This comes under the ‘hazardous packing of food material' as defined under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Traditional food good for health: Collector

Traditional food, particularly those made of small grains, will not only improve the health of the people but also lessen the chances of attack of non-communicable diseases, and control malnutrition to a larger extent, according to Collector K.S.Palanisamy.

Inaugurating a seminar on ‘Propagation of traditional food and improving use of small grains’ at Cumbum near on Tuesday, he said traditional food like coconut, small grains, and other traditional agri-produces like cotton and soap nuts were useful to the people. But many people did not know their value, he added.

Earlier, traditional food items had played an integral role in people’s lives, providing nutrition to them and ensuring strong connection between the community and the land.

For example, tender coconut that had low density lipoprotein cholesterol and 569 mg of potassium, was good for heart, liver functioning and balancing dehydration, and it was the best medicine for anxiety and depression, he said.

Small grains like ‘varagu,’ ‘samai,’ ‘pani varagu,’ and ‘kudiraivali,’ that had high medicinal value would cure intestinal disorders, prevent asthma and they were the best food for diabetic patients.

You could Be Buying Adulterated Ranbaxy Drugs

 

The "jiyo jee bhar ke" drug maker Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, agreed to pay $500 million [in civil and criminal fines under the settlement agreement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ)], approximately Rs 2,743 crore, to resolve the fraud allegations made in account their selling adulterated drugs.
Bollywood Connection with Ranbaxy
Ranbaxy has some of the leading products under its name. Some famous brands under the Ranbaxy umbrella like Revital, Volini and Chericol are endorsed by our very own famous bollywood starlets like Salman Khan, Yuvraj Singh and Sonali Bendre.
Why Ranbaxy is under the scanner
This scandal has sparked many questions in the minds of the consumers, with regards to the efficacy and credibility of these drugs in the wake of Ranbaxy pleading guilty for ‘three felony’ counts under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act.  Besides, it has also been charged for four felony counts for knowingly making false material statements to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
How Ranbaxy is paying for its mistakes
The huge settlement of $500 million dollar is one of the largest agreements over drug safety. It includes $150 million in payments for a criminal fine and forfeiture and $350 million in payments for civil claims.
In the civil settlement, Ranbaxy has agreed to pay $350 million to resolve allegations that drugs from the two Indian plants that did not meet specifications and those false claims were submitted to US government healthcare programs between April 1, 2003 and Sept 16, 2010.
The signs of fraud and scam started right from 2005, when Ranbaxy has been accountable for pattern of violations like incomplete pattern of Paonta Sahib drug and inadequate programmes to assess the stability characteristics of drugs.
What you really need to know about Ranbaxy drugs?
In 2008, the FDA banned the company from selling about 30 drugs in the United States after it found manufacturing deficiencies at facilities in India. But after this latest development, the Indian FDA has not given intimation if they will ban these drugs or will recall them from the Indian market. The drugs were manufactured at Paonta Sahib and Dewas in India and the drugs that are banned are acne drug Sotret, epilepsy and nerve pain drug gabapentin and antibiotic ciprofloxacin.
The Timeline of the Ranbaxy case:
• 2006: US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors note allegations about Ranbaxy’s practices
• 2007: Whistle-blower’s lawsuit alleges the company defrauded Federal programmes
• 2008: Ranbaxy’s three facilities — at Paonta Sahib and Batamandi (Himachal Pradesh) and Dewas (in Madhya Pradesh) — come under FDA’s scrutiny.
• December 2011: Ranbaxy sets aside $500 million to resolve potential criminal and civil liabilities.
• December 2011: Ranbaxy signs a consent decree with the American authorities, putting an end to the regulatory tussle; but Ranbaxy still cannot make drugs at the Paonta Sahib, Batamandi, Dewas and Gloversville, NY, facilities for the US market.
• January 2012: Company reaches a settlement agreement with FDA; agrees to stop making drugs for the US market at two plants until these are brought up to US standards.
• May 2012: Ranbaxy hires two US-based consultants to advise it on remedial work to be done at its manufacturing units in India.
• May 13, 2013: Criminal charges filed

Dinamalar

Welcome ban

Although long overdue, the Tamil Nadu government’s move to ban the manufacture, storage and sale of gutka and pan masala in the State is a welcome step (“Reducing the harm,” May 14). But one wonders why the grim reality — that one in 20 young men die of cancer by the age of 70 — and messages on cigarette packets do not deter tobacco users. Despite being a punishable offence, one wonders why not many are booked for smoking in public. For any law to have the intended result, it should be enforced strictly.

Prabhu Raj, Chennai

There is no denying the fact that gutka and pan masala containing tobacco have been banned in 24 States and UTs. But there is no ban on selling chewing tobacco separately, at least in Delhi. The manufacturers, in fact, charge the consumers more. The ban on selling gutka has become remunerative for them.

The only change is that the user mixes tobacco with the pan masala while earlier he got it readymade in the shape of gutka. One wonders whether the government is really serious about reducing the number of tobacco users.

S.K. Narula, New Delhi

The Centre and the States should work together to reduce the use of tobacco. Cancer is only one of the numerous adverse effects of tobacco use. Even those who know that tobacco kills smoke and chew it. The ban on the sale of gutka in a few States will not be of much use if the other States continue to sell it. Nor will advertisements against the use of tobacco yield the desired effect if companies keep manufacturing and selling gutka. Efforts should be made to ensure that all the States ban it.

Mridani Pandey, Allahabad

The need of the hour is to check the illegal supply chain and prevent the sale of tobacco products. The endeavour should be to ban all forms of tobacco products, including bidis, to achieve a tobacco free nation.

P. Venkatesu, Hyderabad