Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 28: High Court today hoped that Government will expedite the process of appointing Food Safety Commissioner after it was informed that as an interim measure the charge was given to Principal Secretary to Government Health and Medical Education Department.
Court has been informed by Commissioner Secretary to H&ME through his status report that the creation of full time Commissioner Food Safety is under process and the Finance Department has been requested for it. “We hope that the process be expedited so that full time Commissioner Food Safety in place in future”, Division Bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Sanjeev Kumar said.
Counsel representing for Finance Department submitted before the bench that the department has already cleared the proposal for the creation of the post of full time Commissioner Food Safety.
With regard to the selection of 16 Food Safety Officers Court has been informed that the examination in this regard was held on July 16 this year by the SSRB and the Board will further conduct interviews and the select list would be available by the end of September.
In so far as the accreditation of the Food Safety Laboratories of Srinagar and Jammu with National Accreditation Board of Laboratories (NABL) Government of India, the application has not been made till date. It is indicated in the status report that the some more time will be required before the accreditation of laboratories with NABL and on 24.8.2017 sanction has been issued by the office of Drug Controller J&K and Dr Lalita has been appointed as consultant for accreditation of both food laboratories. “We direct that process of applying for accreditation be expedited”, court directed.
With regard to position of Food Analyst it has been submitted that there are two post of Food Analysts in Srinagar and Jammu each. One post at Srinagar has been filled by and one Showkat Ali has been appointed as Food Analyst.
One post of Food Analyst for Jammu is still vacant. Court has been informed that the examination for the post was held in Feb, 2017.
Court has also been informed that the notificationon 24.8.2017 under SRO 349 has been issued whereby Ashok Kumar Koul has been appointed as Presiding Officer of the Food Safety Appellant Tribunal Jammu. Court has also been apprised that the funds are available and supporting staff would be put in place shortly.
Court said, that if there is any shortfall in so far as Food Safety Tribunal at Srinagar is concern that shall be fulfilled . As per the status report it has been submitted that the ultra violet spectrometer, infra red spectroscopy has been installed at Food Safety Laboratory at Srinagar and other machine known as ICPMS is being installed. “The other necessary equipments shall also be installed expeditiously”, court directed.
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