The Hindu : National : Centre ignored CSE warning: chamber

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Friday, Aug 04, 2006

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Centre ignored CSE warning: chamber

Special Correspondent

Questions raised on food safety

NEW DELHI: Bibek Debroy, secretary general, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday expressed concern over the ``irresponsible'' manner in which the Government had dealt with the early warning sounded by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in 2003.

It pointed out that a CSE study had again found that the pesticide residue content in soft drinks of multinational giants was far higher than Indian as well as international standards.

The Joint Parliamentary Committee had asked the cola companies to raise their quality. But what was alarming was that no remedial measures had been taken, a statement issued by the PHDCCI here said.

The revelation raised some fundamental questions on food safety. The globalisation of industry had indeed enabled wider choice and there was no reason why it should not also lead to global standards unless vested interests were against this, it said.

The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 had lost teeth and Parliament had now passed the Food Safety and Standard Bill, 2005.

New law

``However, this new law has also failed in laying down standards for various food or beverages supplied in the country. Whatever standards exist is hampered because of poor implementation. The abysmal lack of infrastructure and laboratories to test and monitor adulteration is a problem that can be easily solved by enabling private sector participation,'' the statement said, adding that testing and certification should be entrusted to the private sector and this should be validated through law and global standards.

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