SC Notice To All States, Centre On PIL Seeking Probe Into Food Adulteration

07 July, New Delhi

The Supreme Court issued the notices to Union of India, all states and all Union Territories and asked them to file a detailed response after hearing a plea filed by a Delhi-based lawyer, who sought framing of stringent law to prevent food adulteration in the country.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justices Arun Kumar Mishra and Amitava Roy Monday sought the replies from the respective respondents after hearing a PIL filed by lawyer Vineet Dhanda.

The plea of Dhanda has sought framing of guidelines to prevent adulteration of food and other consumables like fruits, vegetables, dairy products, edible oils, honey, meat, spices and pulses throughout the country.

“Existing laws regarding food adulteration are incapable of punishing the offenders who contribute to the menace of rising food adulteration by their wrongful acts and also the existing laws and guidelines are insufficient in totality to control the problem of adulteration of food and other consumable products in our country,” the petition said.

The plea of Dhanda also sought a direction to the Union government to ensure the closure of those companies which are committing serious offence of food adulteration. It added that the government was not doing anything to ensure the protection of lives of citizens from the menace.