Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 26: The State High Court has sought a report from the Government about setting up of food testing laboratories in Kashmir and Jammu Divisions and the progress on filling up of several posts meant for these testing laboratories.
The direction was issued after the chairperson of the Service Selection Board (SSB) submitted before the Court that steps will be taken for filling up of the requisite posts in the Food Testing Laboratories.
“The respondent-chairperson shall file latest status report about the progress made for filling up of these posts and furnish all necessary details about the same by filing status report before the next date”, Division Bench of Justice MH Attar and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey directed.
The chairperson was present before the Court as explanation was sought from her for defying the previous court orders. After explaining her position, court accepted it and said that no action is required to be taken against her.
The explanation from Chairperson SSB was sought in a suo-moto cognizance on adulterated and substandard food supplied to the general masses by the food manufacturing units across the State.
Court on previous date of hearing had directed the Chairperson Services Selection Board to complete the selection process of several posts for food testing laboratories of Kashmir as well as Jammu Division by next date or appear in person before the court to explain his position.
Managing Director J&K Medical Supplies Corporation was also present before the Court as he was required to inform the Court with regard to steps taken for procuring necessary equipments for setting up of two food testing laboratories one each at Srinagar and Jammu.
He has submitted that all the formalities for setting up of food testing laboratories one each at Srinagar and Jammu as also the mobile testing laboratories will be completed and entire paraphernalia will be put in place in the first week of February next year.
“His undertaking is taken on record. It is made clear that testing laboratories and mobile vans shall be put in place and made functional by or before the first week of February 2017”, Court said.
Court in the first instance asked the authorities to inform it about the availability of the requisite facilities to be provided to the appointed Presiding Officers for food safety appellate tribunal for Kashmir as well as for Jammu Division which have been appointed in terms of SRO 371 of November 18 this year.
This direction was passed while going through the compliance report filed by H&ME department along with SRO 371 under which State Government has appointed presiding officers of appellate tribunals.
The appointed Presiding Officers under the said SRO have been asked to assume charge within a period of 21 days from the date of issuance of notification (SRO) who have been appointed for a period of five years from the date of their joining or until they attain the age of 65 years.
Court said that nothing has been said about the availability of infrastructural facilities for these authorities (presiding officers) as to where from these authorities will function and whether they have been provided the necessary staff of not and in such situation it may be insignificant for them to join within 21 days.
“Without informing the court about the infrastructure and staff facility, it may be inconsequential for the appointed person to join within stipulated period of 21 days”, DB recorded in the order and put on hold the condition of assuming the charge within 21 days and directed the authorities not to give effect to this condition until further orders from the court.
It is mentioned that 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.
Court in the month of June had directed the State Government to initiate process for setting up of testing laboratories, manpower and other infrastructure like transport facility to check and curb the food adulteration across the State.
The court was hearing suo-moto cognizance after various reports coming in media about the lack in checking the poor consumption of foods in the Valley and about the food items like oils, milk etc consumed by general masses according to the reports are contaminated and such kind of adulteration have flooded the markets of the Valley as there is no mechanism in place to check the purity of eatables.
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