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

Gutka sale continues across Tamil Nadu as ban yet to take effect

CHENNAI: Tobacco products such as gutka and pan masala continue to be sold across the state nearly a week after chief minister J Jayalalithaa on May 8 announced the decision to ban the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of such products.
Food safety department officials said they were clueless about the day on which ban would come into effect. "We have not action against those selling tobacco products as the government order in this regard has not been issued," said one. The ban on tobacco products was announced in 2001 but couldn't be enforced due to a staff shortage. A staff continues to plague the food safety department.
On Tuesday, this correspondent found such products being sold in shops in several areas, particularly Broadway, Sowcarpet, Alandur, Perambur, Velachery, Tondiarpet and Manali. While many traders and consumers claimed they were unaware of the decision to ban the products, some traders were selling 'tobacco products' in black.
Ashok Modi, a resident of Sowcarpet, said there was no decrease in the sale of tobacco products. "Unfortunately, most consumers are children and mainly from poor backgrounds. This 'ban' may encourage black marketing," he said.
Health experts say migrant labourers constitute the major chunk of pan masala users in Chennai and that such products were among the major causes behind the increasing incidence of mouth cancer.
Others said it would be difficult for the food safety department alone to take action against the sale of tobacco products. "The government should involve youth organizations, NGOs to create awareness. Stern action should be taken against manufacturing units and steps initated to prvent the products from being smuggled in from neighbouring states," said Dr S Elango, former director of Public health.
Many traders urged the government to fix a date on which the ban would come into effect. "We can be prepared and clear our stocks to avoid financial loss," said Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peravai president T Vellaiyan.
Customers said some retailers were charging more than the MRP for gutka and pan masala. "When questioned, they say it is banned. If it is banned, then how they can sell it here," said a customer in Broadway.
Sources said tobacco products continued to be sold in the black market in many states that had banned them.

FSSAI row trips Health Ministry

The Union Health Ministry has been forced to withdraw its controversial decision of handing over additional charge of Food Safety & Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) chief executive officer (CEO) to its chairperson, after the move sparked a row. 

Intriguingly, the Law Ministry had washed its hands of the matter when its opinion was sought, saying the issue had no relevance since the Health Minister had already given charge.

However, on Monday, the Ministry took away the additional charge from FSSAI chairperson K Chandramouli and handed it over to the Additional Secretary & DG (CGHS) RK Jain.

The move follows objections by Rajya Sabha member Brajesh Pathak, who heads the Parliamentary panel on health and family welfare. In his letter of April 30 to the Health Ministry, he also took exception to the fact that the post of the CEO of the top food body had been lying vacant for over 120 days, “resulting in misgovernance by the officiating incumbent”. 

The post has been lying vacant since January this year, when incumbent SN Mohanty stepped down. Mohanty too had warned that the “additional charge of the CEO cannot be given to the chairperson of the authority as he/she cannot hold any other office as spelt out in the Act”.

Pathak pointed out that the move to hand over charge of CEO to the chairperson had resulted in many “unforeseen actions,” like extending date of licensing and registration without following the parliamentary process laid down. “States have not only suffered loss of large revenues but administration of the new law has become redundant till February 4, next year, which may seriously jeopardise public health, at many places,” he added.

The Law Ministry’s role in the issue also raises eyebrows. Instead  of giving its opinion whether such a move was legally allowed, when approached by the Health Ministry for clarification, the Law Ministry simply chose to side with the Health Minister (Ghulam Nabi Azad).

Internal politics too had its share of play. Sources say that Mohanty and Chandramouli were not in cordial relations with each other on various issues and the latest bone of contention was the former’s move to tighten the noose against the food manufacturers for their misleading advertisements.

They said Chandramouli in the recent past had been taking some executive decisions too such as transfer and appointment of officers in violation of the mandate of the FSSAI Act. 

Moreover, in the absence of a full time CEO, many decisions including those on financial matters are lying pending.

Huge quantity of banned Zarda seized

IMPHAL, May 14: Huge amount of banned Zarda worth lakhs of rupees were found from two vehicles by Thoubal District police while conducting a check near the gate of Pallel PS yesterday around 11.30pm.

According to a statement issued by Thoubal Police, six individuals along with two vehicles in which they were travelling in were detained and thorough checking was conducted.

During the search, a huge amount of banned Zarda were found from the two vehicles.

The particulars of the individuals and the vehicles as well as the quantity of Zardas found in each vehicle as stated by the Thoubal police are Tata Model no 1109 (MN 02A/5102) and Tata Model No. 909 EX (MN07-T/0036)

The occupants of the first vehicles were identified as Lathangliana Mizo (35) s/o Ramliana Mizo of Churachandpur Hmuia Veng, driver of the vehicle; Thangboi Paite (23) s/o Paokhanlian Paite of Gouchinkhup Veng, New Lamka; Lhingboi Lupheng (35) w/o Thongmang Lupheng of Moreh Ward No 7, Canan Veng.

200 cartoons of Parizat Zarda (30 pkts each in one cartoon, 10 pcs in one pkt, total 60,000 pcs. Printed price Rs. 48 per pcs= Rs 28,80,000) were found in the joint possession of the three individuals.

The occupants of the second vehicles were identified as Sapam Somorjit Singh (25) s/o (L) S Borsingh of Khongjom Sapam Leikai, driver of the vehicle; Chonsei Lupheng (33) s/o Paothang Lupheng, Moreh Ward no 7, Canan Veng and Jamkhoson Touthang (28) s/o Tongmang Touthang, Moreh Ward No 7, Canan Veng.

80 cartoons of Parizat Zarda (30 pkts each in one cartoon, 10 pcs in one pkt, tota 24,000 pcs. Printed price Rs. 48 per pcs totalling Rs 11,52,000), 15 cartoons of BABA Zarda (24 pkts each in one cartoon, 10 pcs in one pkt, total 3,600 pcs. Printed price Rs. 65 per pcs =Rs 234,000), 44 cartoons of 350 SIGNAL (small) Zarda (120 pkts each in one cartoon, 10 pcs in one pkt, total 52,800 pcs. Printed price Rs. 55 per pcs =Rs 29,04,000) and 6 cartoons of 350 SIGNAL(Big) Zarda (i.e. 30 pkts each in one cartoon, 10 pcs in one pkt, total 1800 pcs, printed price Rs 250 per pcs = Rs 450,000) were seized from the joint possession of the three individuals, who were the occupants of the vehicle.

The total quantity of zarda seized from the two vehicles is 345 cartoons (8220 packets ie 82200 pieces of different brands of Zarda.

The printed price of the seized items is Rs 76,20,000 ( Rupees seventy-six lakhs twenty-thousand). It will be more than double ie Rs 1.5 crore in the open Market.

The detained persons along with the seized articles have been handed over to the Food Safety Officer, Thoubal for taking further necessary action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the statement said.

It may be noted that the Government of Manipur, Secretariat Health Department vide Notification No. 15/52/88-M(FSSA)Pt. dated February 26, 2013 has banned on the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution, display, sale and purchase of Gutkha, Khaini, Zarda, Pan Masala and other chewable, smokeless tobacco products containing tobacco or nicotine food ingredients as unsafe food injurious to health, by whatsoever name it is available in the market, in the state of Manipur in the interest of Public health.

Thoubal district Police will conduct raid, search and checking continuously in order to implement the order of the Government in the interest of public health. It seeks cooperation and support from the general public in this regard, it said.