Even before the Maharashtra government has begun implementation of the new Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 and Rules 2010 framed under it a section of trading and industrial community is up in arms against the Act. Manufacturers and traders are not opposing the act per se. They are demanding modifications in the standards in the context of present food production and manufacturing conditions instead of following the norms laid down way back in 1955. The trading community is also apprehensive that the Act would not be implemented in required manner due to absence of testing facilities and infrastructure.
The issue was debated at length on Wednesday at Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA) and the Nag Vidarbha Chamber of Commerce (NVCC) by all stakeholders with the director of Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) S B Dongre. The Act is being looked as giving a 'death blow' to domestic food industry. ity police commissioner Ankush Dhanvijay, who opened the seminar, too suggested that the harsh provisions of the Act should be implemented judiciously by the officers, at least in the initial months of its implementation.
Dongre, however, said that in changing scenario of food products, processes, food habits and lifestyle there was need to regulate manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of food adhering to global standards. "There are not many changes in the Act. It is just that we are ensuring safe and quality food to consumers with better enforcement. Under existing Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act 1955 surveillance was not very strong. Now continuous and regular monitoring would be possible that would involve all central, state and local authorities," he said.
Dongre clarified that the Act was formed by consolidating all the existing acts relating to food. Hence with the new Act the PFA and seven other Acts stood repealed. The new law laid down clear manufacturing, sale, distribution and import practices and rules. A trader found selling a non-licensed or misbranded products would be as much at fault as the manufacturer. However, farm practices are not covered under the Act.
A T Nikhade, acting joint commissioner of Food & Drugs Administration, Nagpur, said the new Act gave more teeth to them for better enforcement and assured that the stakeholders would be given enough preparation time before actual implementation. VIA President Prafull Doshi too felt that the interest of food industry was neglected in the Act.
Apprehending increase in inspector raj, Nagpur Residential Hotels Association president J P Sharma requested his community to stand united against it. Tejinder Singh Renu, secretary of Nagpur Chamber of Commerce Ltd., said amendments were welcome as far as they helped in curbing adulteration but he believed new law would escalate corruption.
Under the new Act every food production unit has to register itself if its turnover is below Rs12 lakh and obtain a licence if it is above that.
OBJECTIONS TO THE LAW
* Lack of transparency. It was framed with no representation from industry
* Lack of testing facilities and infrastructure
* It favours multi-level and departmental stores and not small entrepreneurs
* Standards or norms laid down are too old and need revision
It is being adopted only by 6-10 states and not uniformly across the country
The issue was debated at length on Wednesday at Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA) and the Nag Vidarbha Chamber of Commerce (NVCC) by all stakeholders with the director of Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) S B Dongre. The Act is being looked as giving a 'death blow' to domestic food industry. ity police commissioner Ankush Dhanvijay, who opened the seminar, too suggested that the harsh provisions of the Act should be implemented judiciously by the officers, at least in the initial months of its implementation.
Dongre, however, said that in changing scenario of food products, processes, food habits and lifestyle there was need to regulate manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of food adhering to global standards. "There are not many changes in the Act. It is just that we are ensuring safe and quality food to consumers with better enforcement. Under existing Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act 1955 surveillance was not very strong. Now continuous and regular monitoring would be possible that would involve all central, state and local authorities," he said.
Dongre clarified that the Act was formed by consolidating all the existing acts relating to food. Hence with the new Act the PFA and seven other Acts stood repealed. The new law laid down clear manufacturing, sale, distribution and import practices and rules. A trader found selling a non-licensed or misbranded products would be as much at fault as the manufacturer. However, farm practices are not covered under the Act.
A T Nikhade, acting joint commissioner of Food & Drugs Administration, Nagpur, said the new Act gave more teeth to them for better enforcement and assured that the stakeholders would be given enough preparation time before actual implementation. VIA President Prafull Doshi too felt that the interest of food industry was neglected in the Act.
Apprehending increase in inspector raj, Nagpur Residential Hotels Association president J P Sharma requested his community to stand united against it. Tejinder Singh Renu, secretary of Nagpur Chamber of Commerce Ltd., said amendments were welcome as far as they helped in curbing adulteration but he believed new law would escalate corruption.
Under the new Act every food production unit has to register itself if its turnover is below Rs12 lakh and obtain a licence if it is above that.
OBJECTIONS TO THE LAW
* Lack of transparency. It was framed with no representation from industry
* Lack of testing facilities and infrastructure
* It favours multi-level and departmental stores and not small entrepreneurs
* Standards or norms laid down are too old and need revision
It is being adopted only by 6-10 states and not uniformly across the country
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