LAST DATE FOR LICENSE & REGISTRATION - FSSAI ADVT.

Ban implementation may take few weeks

MUMBAI: The state ban on gutka and paan masala will not come into effect overnight. Highly-placed sources said it would be at least a fortnight before the state issues a notification announcing the ban. Manufacturers will be given time to manage stocks and resources.

Maharashtra has been different from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala in the gutka ban process. It is the first to announce a ban on paan masala along with gutka and it will rope in the police to ensure implementation of the ban, which may take a few weeks to be effective.

The sources said after the state government will issue a notification after it files a caveat. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the police will then have the power to enforce the ban.

In other states, the public health ministry (of which the FDA is a part) enforces the ban. In Maharashtra, the FDA works independently but it has barely a few hundred food inspectors to enforce the ban. "Hence, it will have the police helping it," an official said.

"Elaborate arrangements have been made," said FDA commissioner Mahesh Zagade.

According to the Control of Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), offenders can be fined Rs200. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), under which the ban has been regulated, said offenders can face six months to three years in jail.

Food Act: ‘Register before August 4 or face music’

Mangalore, Jul 12, 2012,

Violation of Act may attract 6 months imprisonment, penalty ranging from ` 1 lakh to ` 10 lakh, says ADC .

In order to strictly implement the Food Safety and Standards Act to prevent the food adulteration, August 4, 2012 has been fixed as the last date for the people concerned to register their business at the office of Food Security Officer or the District Surveillance Unit, informed Additional Deputy Commissioner K Dayanand.

Addressing a meeting of the officers at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Thursday, he said the Act being the most effective one, needs a proper implementation. Awareness will be created among the people about the registration of their food related business prior to August 4. The registration process has already begun and the information is diffused in various phases, he said.

Speaking at the meeting, MCC Commissioner Dr Harish Kumar said that as per the Act, a policy will be implemented where trade licences will not be given to any of the business without obtaining certificates from the MCC’s Food Security Officer.

All the traders who are involved in food related trading including the street vendors and fruit and vegetable vendors could submit the application form seeking the certificates, to Dr Rajesh, Food Safety Nodal Officer, Behind Wenlock Hospital, Railway Station Road, Opposite to IMA. Suresh will be the nodal officer for Mangalore and Belthangady limits and he can be contacted at 9448744168.

Dayanand has been appointed as the nodal officer covering Bantwal, Puttur and Sullia limits and he can be contacted on 9886568180.

The violation of the Act will result in six months of imprisonment, penalty ranging from Rs one lakh to Rs 10 lakh and the punishment could be extended to life term imprisonment too, informed the ADC.

“The Food Safety and Standards Act has been formed after taking into consideration the various laws, policies and orders pertaining to different ministry. It aims at solving several problems related to the food and ensure that only clean and healthy food is consumed by the people. The Authority deals with a parameter to measure the food production, storage, distribution, sale and imports.

As the items like, water, milk, bakery items, grains too come under the Act, it is necessary to obtain the certificate from the nodal officers,” informed the Additional Deputy Commissioner who is the judging officer for the district.

Meanwhile, he said that food supply in ration shops, mid-day meal scheme, in Anganawadis, BCM hostels too come under the jurisdiction of the Act.

Few vendors in Ahmedabad want FSSA licences

The Centre’s deadline for registration of food joints in Ahmedabad under Food Safety and Standard Act (FSSA) is nearing, but the civic body has not been able to get many vendors to register themselves. In view of their callousness, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has decided to aggressively work on registrations this week onwards.
It was in August 2011 that the central government had implemented FSSA. The civic body was then given time till August 2012 to complete the registration for licences for all food vendors in the city. Interestingly, under Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, around 7,000 vendors were registered earlier. With the implementation of FSSA, a total of around 35,000 food vendors have to be registered, out of which just 4,000 have been registered.
Medical officer of health in AMC Dr Suhas Kulkarni stated that going by the norms of the new Act, many more food vendors have to be registered. “Under the new Act, there is a provision for issuing licences for businesses with annual turnover of more than Rs12 lakh, and registering vendors having turnover of less than Rs12 lakh per annum.” Hence, wholesalers, retailers, those in catering business, small shop as well as tea stall owners will also have to be registered under the new Act.
A health official of AMC stated, “Though we carried out sessions with vendors, many of them have not got themselves registered yet. We will strengthen our drive and ensure they get registered.”
Till now, AMC has conducted sessions for hotels and restaurants in the city and also approached vendors at places like Law Garden, Manek Chowk, Kankaria etc.
The hotels/restaurants and fast food outlets were registered with AMC under PFA Act. But with the implementation of FSSA by the Centre, it has become compulsory for all food vendors to get themselves registered.
The fewer registrations have sent the alarm bells ringing for AMC which will intensify its checks and raids. Talking more about it, Kulkarni stated that after August, AMC will get stricter in its checks and charge heavy penalty from those who do not have new licences.
While AMC continues to cry itself hoarse, most vendors are not bothered about having a new licence or even getting registered under the new Act. A sweet corn vendor in Vastrapur stated, “After working for an entire day, I start my stall around 8 pm and shut shop around 11 pm. Where do I have the time to get a licence made?” A health official stated that under FSSA Act, all the street food vendors need to be registered. This will ensure they maintain the quality of the food they sell.