NEW DELHI: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on food-processing industries has recommended that the provisions of the proposed Food Safety and Standards Bill, 2005, should not apply to farmers/fishermen or farming operations or crops including fisheries, livestock and supplies used or produced in farming or products of crops produced by a farmer at farm level or fishermen in their operations.

Complicated provisions

It said that while the proposed Food Authority shall, while framing regulations or standards, take into account the prevailing practices and conditions including agricultural practices and handling, storage and transport, the "poor, uneducated farmers would neither be able to comprehend the complicated provisions of the Act nor be able to meet the stringent standards prescribed.'' They should, therefore, be kept out.

In its report on the proposed bill tabled in Parliament the Committee headed by Ramgopal Yadav also felt that petty manufacturers, retailers, hawkers, itinerant vendors, or temporary stall holders may not be able to adhere to standards prescribed under the Act.

It has, therefore, recommended that food operators be classified as (a) petty manufacturer; (b) small scale, cottage, tiny food business operator; and (c) other food business operators. Of these, the first two categories should be exempted from the requirement of licensing or registration or regulations under the Act, the Committee said.

To prevent Food Safety Officers from harassing food business operators/vendors the Committee has suggested that they be fined a minimum penalty of Rs 50,000 besides an adverse entry in his/her CR dossier.

It has also suggested raising the penalty for an offending food business offender from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh but reduced it for a petty vendor from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 25,000.

Absence of labs

Noting the absence of equipped laboratories to test various categories of food, the Committee has suggested that at least one fully equipped lab with trained manpower be set up in each district.

The Committee recommended that the definition of "food" under the proposed Bill should include drinking water/water provided or supplied by municipal authorities/jal boards etc. for free or on charges, as well as water used into food.

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