SC favoured harsher punishment including life term for milk adulterators

The Supreme Court of India on 5 December 2013 favoured punishment of life imprisonment to people indulging in production and marketing of adulterated milk. The court has also asked the state governments to make amendment in laws as has been done by the Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha.

The Supreme Court bench that comprised of Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice A K Sikri said that the punishment of six months jail term mentioned in Food Safety Act is grossly inadequate.

The decision of the Supreme Court came after hearing the Public-Interest Litigations (PIL) seeking its direction to state governments to stop practice of milk adulteration, which is rampant in various states.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. It consolidates various acts and orders that have hitherto handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments. FSSAI has been created for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is the Administrative Ministry for the implementation of FSSAI.

Definition of Adulteration
Adulterant means any material which is or could be employed for making the food unsafe or sub-standard or mis-branded or containing extraneous matter.

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