Keep industry insiders out of food safety panel: SC

Inclusion unlawful as it brings with it a conflict of interest

deevakar

Deevakar Anand | February 8, 2011



The Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) undertook before the court that a new panel sans industry insiders will be constituted to look into harmful effects of soft drinks, after the supreme court on Tuesday deemed it illegal. The court observed that Section 13 (I) of the act categorically provides for an independent experts panel under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

The bench of justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma made the comment when the petitioner, Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) through its lawyer Prashant Bhusan pointed out that the existing expert committee on food safety have on its board Joseph I Lewis of Marico Limited, Sunil Absule from Coca Cola and Sharminder Pal Singh from Pepsi Co among others.

Bhusan argued that the panel has not been functioning since 2008 and underlined the detriment representatives from the industry, with their own interests, have caused to the functioning of the panel. The petition has sought disclosure of ingredients being used in edible products and soft drinks and the harmful effects on the consumers. The court will be informed about the studies carried out on the chemical content of soft drinks and their harmful effects on the consumers, the FSSA assured.

The bench also allowed CPIL to file a comprehensive representation with their recommendations and suggestions which will be considered by the new panel and if necessary personal hearing is to be given.

Comments

 

Other News

Can AI change India’s breast cancer story?

Breast cancer has become a public-health challenge in India. The greatest opportunity is to find cancers earlier. Artificial intelligence (AI) is opening a new era in breast cancer detection. AI systems can analyse mammograms and other breast-imaging studies, identify subtle abnormalities and assist radi

Farm stability in the time of climate change

Indian agriculture is experiencing significant climate volatility, while the world economy seems to be in a highly volatile situation. Economic indices from various countries show that they need to recalibrate their strategies to withstand economic headwinds. In such a challenging situation, a country li

El Niño threatens India’s Rabi crops

India’s southwest monsoon ended with a 13% rainfall deficit in 2026, its weakest performance in a decade, raising concerns over agricultural production, water security and the upcoming rabi season. With El Niño expected to persist into early 2027, experts warn that declining soil moisture, dep

Regulating the data advantage: India’s new e-Commerce framework

For over a decade, India’s e-commerce story has rested on a simple premise: platforms connect buyers and sellers, while data fuels efficiency, personalisation, and scale. However, as the market matured, its structure has revealed a growing imbalance. E-commerce platforms, especially marketplace ent

Changing weather patterns, climate change responsible for Nepal floods

The interaction between active Western Disturbances, increased atmospheric moisture and the region’s complex topography aswell as global warming are important factors behind intense rainfall in the Himalayas, leading to flash floods in Nepal, according to meteorologists. Nepal

A right she cannot reach

Last summer, the two of us spent several weeks in rural Madhya Pradesh with a non-profit that works on gender justice through women’s self-help groups. We went in with a notebook full of laws. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. The Dowry Prohibition Act. Free legal aid for every wo

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter