Laws
Lahori Food – In one of its mind boggling as per routine decisions and instead of waiting for the impending session of the Punjab Assembly, the Punjab Government has promulgated the Punjab Food Safety and Standards Authority Ordinance 2011, repealing decade old the Punjab Pure Food Act 1960.
The Punjab Government has already completed necessary spadework to do the legislation and the Punjab Assembly has referred the proposed fourth and final draft, already vet by the Law Department, to the standing committee on Health.
But instead of waiting for its presentation before the House, the Punjab Government has promulgated the Ordinance, apparently in haste as a number of important issues are still to be addressed.
Though the Punjab Pure Food Act 1960 exists no more, the newly-promulgated Punjab Food Safety and Standards Authority Ordinance 2011 ‘shall come into force on such date as the government may, by notification, specify and different dates may be so specified for different areas’. Now by virtue of this Ordinance, the provincial dispensation has created yet another institution which will be heading the department dealing with the issues relating to food adulteration. Moreover, it is being believed by the concerned that since the composition of the Authority, including its chairperson, the Authority will be highly ‘politicised’ since there is a huge room for accommodating the favourites.
The Food Authority will be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal. It will consist of a chairperson and some members. The government will appoint the chairperson while it will have members: the secretaries Food, Health, Finance, Livestock and Dairy Development and Local Government and Community Development departments, three MPAs to be appointed by the government, two eminent food technologists or scientists, one representative of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, two representatives of food industry, one representative each from food operators and retailers and one representative each from farmers and consumers organizations. The Food Authority, with the prior approval of the government, co-opts any other person as a member.
But instead of waiting for its presentation before the House, the Punjab Government has promulgated the Ordinance, apparently in haste as a number of important issues are still to be addressed.
Though the Punjab Pure Food Act 1960 exists no more, the newly-promulgated Punjab Food Safety and Standards Authority Ordinance 2011 ‘shall come into force on such date as the government may, by notification, specify and different dates may be so specified for different areas’. Now by virtue of this Ordinance, the provincial dispensation has created yet another institution which will be heading the department dealing with the issues relating to food adulteration. Moreover, it is being believed by the concerned that since the composition of the Authority, including its chairperson, the Authority will be highly ‘politicised’ since there is a huge room for accommodating the favourites.
The Food Authority will be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal. It will consist of a chairperson and some members. The government will appoint the chairperson while it will have members: the secretaries Food, Health, Finance, Livestock and Dairy Development and Local Government and Community Development departments, three MPAs to be appointed by the government, two eminent food technologists or scientists, one representative of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, two representatives of food industry, one representative each from food operators and retailers and one representative each from farmers and consumers organizations. The Food Authority, with the prior approval of the government, co-opts any other person as a member.