The meeting also decided to sanction Rs 2.45 crore for procuring equipment
Kerala CM Oommen Chandy
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will seek help from his counterparts in other states to check the arrival of vegetables, fruits and food items containing a high pesticide residue. He will write letters to the chief minsters raising the state’s concerns about pesticide-ridden products. “We have prepared a comprehensive programme to check hazardous fruits, vegetables, food grains and food products coming from other states,” Health Minister V S Sivakumar told reporters after a high level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Oommen Chady.
He said an interstate coordination meeting of secretary level officers would be held here in the first week of July. The meet will be attended by top officials from the southern states. A high level coordination committee comprising wholesale merchants and officials of respective departments will be constituted at the state and regional level for effective implementation of preventive and control measures.
The meeting also decided to sanction Rs 2.45 crore for procuring equipment and increasing infrastructure facilities of the food safety department. The Food Safety Commissioner has given a proposal in this regard and steps would be taken to procure equipment at the earliest. A statewide campaign will be conducted using NRHM funds to create awareness among school students, traders and the public about issues related to contamination of food. He said special courts would be set up to take up cases of food contamination. As many as 464 cases are pending at the moment.
Mr Sivakumar said the Kerala Agriculture University had examined 708 samples of spices of which 63 were found with a high pesticide content. Besides, 418 vegetable samples were taken of which 24 had high pesticide content. A long term strategy is being planned which will focus on increasing agri and vegetable production in the state. “Vegetable production has been raised from 40 per cent to 70 per cent during the last four years. Efforts will continue in this direction,” claimed Sivakumar.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob said that products being sold from government outlets would be subjected to intense checking. “Surprise checks will be carried out once in three months. Curry powders, masalas will also come under the scanner. If the samples fail, the products will be banned. We have been receiving many complaints especially after the recent Maggi controversy,” he added.
Mr Sivakumar said that the licensing and registration formalities of vehicles carrying food products would be completed before July 15. “We are planning to carry out extensive inspections in hotels and restaurants,” he added.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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