SRINAGAR, May 24: Asked the government to appoint
full-fledged commissioner food safety, the High Court today directed the
authorities to file within two weeks, the status report on
infrastructure and manpower available in food testing laboratories in
the state. A division bench of the High Court comprising of Chief
Justice M M Kumar and Justice Husnain Masoodi that heard the matter,
passed the directions. On April 6, the court had asked the Chief
Secretary to constitute relevant committees who shall examine Srinagar
Municipal Corporation (SMC) suggestions with regard to slaughtering and
sale of quality mutton to people in Kashmir. In a slew of directions
passed in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on implementation of Food
Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and Food Safety and Standard Rules, 2011,
the Court had also arrayed commissioner secretary and director consumer
affairs and public distribution as official respondents in the matter. Not
satisfied with the status report submitted by commissioner secretary
health and medical education with regard to its various directions
passed from time to time, the High Court had on April 4, asked him to
file a better affidavit within three weeks indicating comprehensive
proposal and explaining steps taken for strict implementation of the
Food Safety Act.
On March 14, the High Court had asked the government about timeframe for finalisation of “comprehensive proposal” for making the provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 (FSSA) “effective and visible on the ground.”
Earlier the Food Commissioner who is also secretary health and medical education department had submitted that a comprehensive proposal was under active consideration of the Government for the implementation of Food Safety Act, aimed to control the menace of the food adulteration in the state.
The court had asked the authorities to take samples on weekly basis from all factories and industrial units which manufacture and produce spices of all kinds. The court had also directed concerned authorities to show commitment and asked them to carry milk testing on weekly basis. “The concerned agency shall submit the report through district head wherein it shall be clearly indicated as to how many times in a week they have the milk as sold in the market and result of the tests shall also be indicated therein clearly,” the court had directed. In his petition, Advocate Sheikh Mohammad Ayoub has submitted that adulterated milk, sub standard and misbranded food products are being sold in the market in Jammu and Kashmir without any check. “Almost all spices and edible items from A to Z sold in the market are unsafe for human consumption. In the entire state particularly in the valley the milk which is being sold in the market is 80 per cent adulterated, which has been certified by the Food safety and Standards Authority of India,” reads the PIL on Food Safety in J&K. The petitioner has further pointed out in his petition that the designated officers or food safety officers have miserably failed to show any positive development from the date Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and Food Safety and Standards Rules 2011, came into force by checking and taking the samples from the market, to impose the penalty or launch prosecution as per Food Safety Act. “There is no responsibility or accountability to the so called designated officers or food safety officers particularly in the twin cities of the state,” reads the PIL on Food Safety in J&K.
On March 14, the High Court had asked the government about timeframe for finalisation of “comprehensive proposal” for making the provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 (FSSA) “effective and visible on the ground.”
Earlier the Food Commissioner who is also secretary health and medical education department had submitted that a comprehensive proposal was under active consideration of the Government for the implementation of Food Safety Act, aimed to control the menace of the food adulteration in the state.
The court had asked the authorities to take samples on weekly basis from all factories and industrial units which manufacture and produce spices of all kinds. The court had also directed concerned authorities to show commitment and asked them to carry milk testing on weekly basis. “The concerned agency shall submit the report through district head wherein it shall be clearly indicated as to how many times in a week they have the milk as sold in the market and result of the tests shall also be indicated therein clearly,” the court had directed. In his petition, Advocate Sheikh Mohammad Ayoub has submitted that adulterated milk, sub standard and misbranded food products are being sold in the market in Jammu and Kashmir without any check. “Almost all spices and edible items from A to Z sold in the market are unsafe for human consumption. In the entire state particularly in the valley the milk which is being sold in the market is 80 per cent adulterated, which has been certified by the Food safety and Standards Authority of India,” reads the PIL on Food Safety in J&K. The petitioner has further pointed out in his petition that the designated officers or food safety officers have miserably failed to show any positive development from the date Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and Food Safety and Standards Rules 2011, came into force by checking and taking the samples from the market, to impose the penalty or launch prosecution as per Food Safety Act. “There is no responsibility or accountability to the so called designated officers or food safety officers particularly in the twin cities of the state,” reads the PIL on Food Safety in J&K.
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