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FSSA, 2006: FAFAI finds Aug 5 deadline too short for proper implementation
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Thursday, 21 June, 2012, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Akshay Kalbag, Mumbai
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fiogf49gjkf0d Although the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) set an August 5, 2012, deadline for getting the existing licences converted, it might not be long enough to convincingly answer all the petty food vendors' objections to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and certain regulations of the same Act, which came into effect last year.
This was the opinion of Ravi Mehra, chairman, flavours sub-committee, Fragrances and Flavours Association of India (FAFAI), who spoke to FnB News over telephone.
"Retail associations in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, have filed a number of petitions in the Madras High Court, and got all of them stayed. That is because the 2011 rules are not in consonance with the Act, and anything that is outside the purview of the Act is invalid," Mehra said, adding that different segments of the industry had their own scientific committees and the panels were not represented enough by the small, unorganised food business operators (FBOs), the section of the industry it was most likely to affect.
"There is no scientific basis for the implementation of the Act, its rules and regulations. Moreover, we are afraid of implementing it - that is where the problem lies. The regulatory approach is wrong, and from the stakeholders' point of view, it would not be incorrect to say that it isn't awareness or education, but sensitisation which is an absolute must. The law is draconian, and could promote more corruption than there is now," he said.
"Since the multinational players will obviously follow the rules prevalent overseas, the smaller stakeholders need to be taken into confidence. Only then can the Act be implemented," Mehra said.
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