Probe into adulteration cases held up as Jharkhand sits on implementation of central rules

 Fifteen students fell ill after eating chocolates at DAV Public School in Piparwar, Chatra, on Tuesday

• Adulterated food made 100 students of BIT-Mesra’s Deoghar extension centre complain of nausea on Wednesday

But food inspectors stayed away from both campuses on the bizarre pretext that they did not know what to do

An already laggard bureaucracy has received a shot in the arm with Jharkhand failing to bring into effect the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 & Rules 2011, which was notified by the Union government on May 5 this year for implementation within three months (i,e. by August 5) across the country.The Centre had passed the law in 2006 by repealing the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, to check the quality of food and hygiene at various outlets.The act mandates establishing a single statutory regulatory authority for the food sector in a state, the Commissionerate of Food Safety, that can order a manufacturer or wholesaler to recall a product from the market if it is found to be substandard.While most other states have brought the integrated law into force, Jharkhand has the safety of its 3.29 crore people mired in red tape.Chatra food inspector Sanjay Kumar, who also holds charge of Ranchi, Koderma, Garhwa, Latehar and Palamau, bared home truths. “The old act has been repealed and the new rules have not been implemented in the state as yet. We are caught in no man’s land. If we collect samples of adulterated food without knowing the rules, we will live in perennial fear of violating some provision of the act that may invite heavy fines,” Kumar said.Deoghar food inspector Krishna Prasad Singh — also responsible for Dumka, Seraikela-Kharsawan, East Singhbhum, Gumla, Simdega and Khunti — supported Kumar and expressed concern over the delay in implementation of the act. “We are unable to do our job,” he said.

Gulab Lakra, one of the seven food inspectors (the sanctioned strength is 37) in the state, echoed Singh. “I have not been able to work since August 5. My job is to collect food samples from Ranchi, Chaibasa, Godda, Pakur and Sahebganj. But, currently, am not authorised to do anything,” she said.According to health department sources, the 2011 rules had provision for food safety officers (FSOs) in place of food inspectors, and designated officers (DOs) of additional district magistrate rank who could relieve civil surgeons of additional charge. An IAS officer will be appointed as full-time food commissioner, reducing the burden on the health secretary.“The act also empowers DOs to impose a fine up to Rs 1 lakh on people selling adulterated food items. Earlier, there was no such provision and the civil surgeon had to take the help of court to punish the guilty,” a health department official said. He pointed out that if an official took a move while the law was not implemented, it would be difficult for him to prove his stand before the court of law.State food controller Dr T.P. Barnwal admitted the problems, saying that efforts were on to adopt the rules as early as possible.“The file on implementation of the act has been cleared by state health secretary K. Vidya Sagar. It will very soon be forwarded to health minister Hemlal Murmu, who will present it before the state cabinet for final approval. Once the go-ahead is given, rules will be implemented and collecting food samples will happen smoothly,” he said.Insiders at the Mineral Area Development Authority laboratory, Dhanbad, where samples collected by food inspectors are tested, however, alleged that indolent food inspectors and health officials were using the non-implementation of the act to their advantage.“There are 37 posts of food inspectors, but only seven are occupied. And these handful people do not work. It was the result of their poor performance that adulterated food was sold at Piparwar and Deoghar. During Sharvani Mela in the temple town, two people died while the inspectors failed to trace the source of adulteration. They never work in public interest in the first place. Now, the missing law is an excuse,” a source said.

source:The telegraph