Date:16/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/16/stories/2006031618470400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Food safety bill silent on health protection: forum

Special Correspondent

Some of the provisions are quite `appalling' `Some of the important aspects of food have not been adequately addressed, be it fast food, food vending on streets or food packaging'

CHENNAI: Even as the world celebrated yet another "Consumer Rights Day" on Wednesday, the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG) said the occasion should provide an opportunity for consumers to assert one of their basic rights-right to safety.

The organisation said the "Food Safety and Standards Bill" was tabled in Parliament mid last year. It was an attempt to comprehensively cover all aspects of safety of food. Once enacted it would replace all the other laws on food. However, the organisation wondered, as to how many would have been aware of the legislation and its objective.

A closer look at the bill revealed that it had several shortcomings.

Some of the important aspects of food had not been adequately addressed, be it fast food, food vending on streets or food packaging.

As regards genetically modified (GM) food, the legislation was silent about taking concrete measures to ensure protection to consumer health from GM organisms, given the potential health risks. Some of the provisions were quite surprising and appalling.

The CAG had brought the details to the notice of the concerned State agencies and was pursuing action at the national level.

Consumers should be aware of the bill and they should start debating and commenting, the organisation said in a press release.