Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 9: The State High Court today directed the Commissioner/ Secretary Health and Medical Education (H&ME) to file an affidavit within a week on steps taken for proper functioning of the Food Safety Appellate Tribunals.
It is after the indulgence of High Court, the Food Safety Appellate Tribunals (FSAT) have been created in Jammu and Srinagar Divisions but they are without basic facilities and are in shambles.
Despite the High Court directions for providing adequate facility to both Tribunals, the authorities have failed to make them proper functional. The Court sought the personal affidavit from the Commissioner/ Secretary H&ME after it was informed that despite assuming charge by presiding officers of these tribunals, the condition of tribunals are in shambles even though no basic facility is available in these tribunals.
“In view of the above, issue notice to M I Dar, AAG, who shall file the affidavit of the Commissioner/Secretary H&ME Department, indicating the steps taken so as to ensure proper functioning of the tribunals both at Jammu/Kashmir. The affidavit be filed within one week,” directed the Division Bench of Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey. The Registry was directed to post the matter on March 14.
In its earlier compliance report, Court was apprised that necessary steps have already been taken by the concerned department for creation of two posts of Assistant Registrars, two posts of Senior Stenographers, two posts of judgment writers, two posts of computer operators, two posts of drivers, two posts of Junior Assistants, four posts of orderlies and two posts of dispatch riders. Court observed “it seems the same is only on papers and without any practical on ground level”.
Court has been informed that M K Hanjura (Presiding Officer of Jammu Tribunal) has assumed charge on February 21 while M Y Akhoon (Presiding Officer of Srinagar Tribunal) has assumed charge on January 10 and only one room to each tribunal has been provided by the Government, which is in shambles.
Both the officers have intimated to the court that they are facing lot of difficulties on account of non-availability of suitable accommodation and the temporary accommodation provided is in shambles. It is also reported that with regard to providing of adequate staff, nothing concrete has been done.
“No budgetary allocation have been made to the Tribunals for the development of infrastructure which is a sin-qua non for making the Tribunals functional. The other requirements, like the computer, FAX, grants for purchase of Staff Car, Stationery, law books, furniture and other allied items have not been provided so as to enable the tribunals to function properly”, court has been informed.
It may be mentioned here that the Commissioner/ Secretary Health department while filing the status report in PIL on suo moto proceedings on food adulteration in the State, has provided the details about the steps taken for providing office accommodation, staff, budgetary support etc but, court said, nothing substantial seems to have been done in the matter.
It is mentioned here that the court previously had directed the authorities to report it about the setting up of appellate authority both at Srinagar and Jammu and had directed the concerned authorities to expedite and constitute these authorities before the next date and report compliance to the court.
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