Its teeth cut on cola, Govt gets food Act bite

The amendments will be made on the basis of the recommendations of the Central Committee of Food Standards, a standing committee under the Ministry of Health that is responsible for the enforcement of this Act. The committee will present its report early next month. Currently in the drafting stage, the Bill will be presented before the House in a month.

The new Act likely to be called Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Act, 2003, will bring about changes in Section 16 — The words ‘‘six months which may extend to three years and fine which is not less than Rs 1,000’’ will be substituted with ‘‘one year and six months and even extending to term of life and with fine which shall not be less than Rs 10,000’’. The fines mentioned in subsections would also be increased and can even go as high as Rs 50,000, or the entire income generated from the business.

Another aim of the government is to upgrade the food-testing labs to ensure quality checks. The committee report is likely to present a detailed formula for this. The project would be funded by the World Bank. ‘‘The Government is discussing the matter with the World Bank. They are willing to fund a Rs 180-crore project for improvement of food-testing facilities in India. The money is likely to be utilised within three to four years,’’ said an official in the ministry.

The Health ministry has also ordered the Bureau of Indian Standards to revise their guidelines, which would be presented to the ministry in one month’s time and be incorporated in the new Act.

‘‘The amendments will make the enforcement mechanism stronger. It will also define roles of the Centre and state to deal with the menace as food adulteration is a state subject,’’ said a high-level official in the ministry.

The issue of specific roles for the Centre and state will be discussed in the meeting of the central council of Health and Family Welfare to be held on August 28-29. It would be attended by representatives of all the states.

According to the official, thousands of trials are pending and the amendment would ensure trial. ‘‘There is hardly any trial in cases of food adulteration. The amendment would ensure those involved in offences are put to task,’’ he added.