Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Feb 17: State Government is shielding the leading Food Processing Companies whose products have been found adulterated with carcinogenic chemicals as no charge sheets have been filed against them since December last year.
The Food Safety Officer, Anantnag, Ghulam Qadir, his counterpart in Budgam, Shugufta, and Health Officer Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Dr Shafaqat Khan, have not filed charge sheets in the court of law against AVON Agro Industries Pvt Ltd Delhi, Khyber Agro Farms and M/s Kanwal Agro Food Industries Anantnag respectively.
The turmeric of AVON Agro Industries Pvt Ltd Delhi, toned Milk of Khyber Agro Farms and Sounf powder of M/s Kanwal Agro Food Industries Anantnag was found adulterated by the Central Food Laboratory Kolkata whose reports came in November and December last year.
The Central Food Laboratory Kolkata report about turmeric powder manufactured by AVON Agro Industries Pvt Ltd Delhi said that it contained Tartrazine adulteration.
The Central Food Laboratory Kolkata report about the Khyber Milk states that besides containing detergent, the sample has failed to conform to various other standards stipulated under laws and regulations.
The Central Food Laboratory Kolkata about Sounf powder manufactured by M/s Kanwal Agro Food Industries Anantnag found it unsafe and misbranded, containing added colouring matter – Carmoisine and Tartrazine.
The sanction for the filing of charge sheet against these companies from Government is still pending despite a report by the Director SKIMS, Shoukat Ahmad Zargar, saying that colouring agents and other material found in the spices and the toned milk are carcinogenic, can damage various body organs and cause heart diseases.
The Food Safety Officer Anantnag told Excelsior: “I have sent the case to Secretariat for prosecution of AVON Agro Industries Pvt Ltd Delhi whose turmeric powder was found adulterated. The company will be charge sheeted under Food Safety Standards Act 2006. I am waiting for the sanction.”
The Food Safety Officer Budgam told Excelsior: “I am waiting for sanction from my higher ups for filing a charge sheet against Khyber Agro Farms whose milk was found adulterated.”
The Health Officer SMC said: “We have referred the matter for sanction under Section 42 of the Food Safety Standards Act 2006 to Commissioner Food Safety Jammu and Kashmir. Once we get sanction we will file charge sheet against M/s Kanwal Agro Food Industries Anantnag whose Sounf powder was found adulterated.”
Sources said that Government is shielding these Food Processing Companies despite Jammu and Kashmir High Court penalizing them. The Court ordered these companies to deposit Rs 60 crore with the Director SKIMS for damaging the health of people.
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