CCI takes up Food Safety Act issue with JMC

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 12: Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) today took up the issue of Food Safety & Standards Act with the Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation Kuldeep Khajuria here today.
During an interactive meet organized by the Jammu Chamber here today, its president YV Sharma, former CCI president Romesh Gupta, Parven Khandelwal and Satish Garg from Confederation of All India Traders and others raised the issue pertaining to certain flaws in the existing Food Safety & Standard Act and pressed that it should be postponed at least for five years or till the amendments are made in it.
Besides Commissioner, Health Officer of JMC Dr Vinod Sharma, Dy Commissioner Food Safety Lotika Khajuria, Food Analyst and Designated Officer Sanjeev Gupta and Assistant Drug Controller Surinder Mohan Tiku were also present.
Y V Sharma in his address said that this Act has created a sense of insecurity among the members of the business community. He said the rules and regulations of the Act need a careful study and reconsideration as many provisions of the Act are superceding which are legal infirmities. Therefore, Government should keep this Act in abeyance and hold seminars to educate the business community regarding this Act and only then it should be implemented.
Mr Khajuria assured the Chamber and other members of the community that no businessman will be harassed by JMC employees and anybody found involved will be punished as per law. Regarding amendments, Designated Officer Mr Gupta said that only three formalities are to be fulfilled for renewal of the licenses and other cumbersome formalities have been withdrawn. He said the amended formalities will be published in the newspapers shortly. It was also assured that renewal will be done at the respective establishments of the traders.
Parveen Khandelwal (CAIT), Sham Lal Langar senior vice president CCI, Arun Gupta secretary general, CCI also spoke on the occasion.