Even as the the licence /registration of food manufacturing and selling units and street food vendors have been extended till February 2013, the State Government is confronted with many constraints like staff shortage, lack of infrastructure and resource crunch with regard to implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA).
A section of food safety officials are doubtful if the Act could be implemented with the existing constraints even if the deadline for licence/registration was extended.
‘’There was a transition period till August 5 this year. But it is doubtful if the Act could be fully implemented in the state as many issues are yet to be sorted out,’’ sources in the office of the Commissioner of Food Safety said. They said that it was unlikely that the Act will be fully implemented within the timeframe at the current pace.
‘’Shortage of staff and law enforcement officials are the main constraints in fully implementing the provisions of the Act,’’ they said. There are only about 125 officials to deal with the whole system, they said. In addition, there are no accredited labs in the state for testing the food samples that are collected.
Moreover, there are no adequate technical personnel to conduct the tests as prescribed in the Act.
Another hurdle that the State Government faces with regard to the implementation is the setting up of Appellate tribunals, adjudicating officers and special courts, which are notified under the Act.
However, Joint Commissioner of Food Safety K Anil Kumar said that the state was close to fully implementing the Act.
‘’Within days, the Act will be fully implemented in the state,’’ he claimed. With regard to the formation of Appellate tribunals and appointing adjudicating officers, he said that the notification had been issued.
‘’There is no need for any concern. Everything is going in the right direction,’’ he said.
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