Norms ready, not notified
Three years and 20 meetings later, your bottle of cola is still not clean of pesticide residues.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Three years and 20 meetings later, your bottle of cola is still not clean of pesticide residues. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) alleges that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms have been finalised but ‘‘no notification has been given’’ out to soft drink brands yet.
Says CSE director Sunita Narain: ‘‘In early February 2004, confirming the unsafe levels of pesticides in soft drinks, the Joint Parliamntary Committee (JPC) had directed the government to set standards for these residues in the products. Since then, the BIS has, in its sectional committee, met over 20 times to deliberate on the standards, but in vain.’’
Narain adds that after months of data analysis and discussion with stakeholders, including two soft drink majors, the standards were finalised by the committee in October 2005. In March 2006, the committee met once again to reconfirm the standards. Since then, the status has been the same: ‘‘the standards are finalised but not notified.’’
This is because the Union ministry of health and family welfare has opposed the standards, arguing that more research is required, alleges Narain. ‘‘The ministry has in the last three years set up committee after committee, and various sub-committees, to examine the safety concerns, but with little progress. Clearly, science cannot become a pretext for prevarication and obstruction. We know that the companies are strongly opposed to this standard as it will bring them under the ambit of regulators,’’ she adds.
As the issue concerns public health, it cannot be ignored, says CSE.
‘‘Our demand is simple,’’ says CSE experts, ‘‘The government must notify the final product standards and make these mandatory for soft drink companies, so that soft drinks, consumed particularly by children, are checked and regulated. No more delays. No more procedures. We want safety first.’’
Asked about the ministry’s reservations, Narain claims the delay has been ‘‘deliberate’’. In October 2005, the standard was finalised, and in March 2006, it was reconfirmed by the committee as ready for implementation. Soon after, the BIS website noted that the standard (IS 2346) has been finalised, though not yet ready in print. A few weeks later, this mention was erased. When contacted, BIS officials were silent on the issue.
Recalling the sequence of events, Narain says, ‘‘In November 2004, Central Committee on Food Standards (CCSF) decided to set up a national expert committee to study the matter. In 2005, National Expert Committee decided to test sugar samples and said this will be a pilot study. In 2006, it said, they are still testing. Officials said as this is a pilot study, no time frame can be given on when the final standards will be set.’’
Says CSE director Sunita Narain: ‘‘In early February 2004, confirming the unsafe levels of pesticides in soft drinks, the Joint Parliamntary Committee (JPC) had directed the government to set standards for these residues in the products. Since then, the BIS has, in its sectional committee, met over 20 times to deliberate on the standards, but in vain.’’
Narain adds that after months of data analysis and discussion with stakeholders, including two soft drink majors, the standards were finalised by the committee in October 2005. In March 2006, the committee met once again to reconfirm the standards. Since then, the status has been the same: ‘‘the standards are finalised but not notified.’’
This is because the Union ministry of health and family welfare has opposed the standards, arguing that more research is required, alleges Narain. ‘‘The ministry has in the last three years set up committee after committee, and various sub-committees, to examine the safety concerns, but with little progress. Clearly, science cannot become a pretext for prevarication and obstruction. We know that the companies are strongly opposed to this standard as it will bring them under the ambit of regulators,’’ she adds.
As the issue concerns public health, it cannot be ignored, says CSE.
‘‘Our demand is simple,’’ says CSE experts, ‘‘The government must notify the final product standards and make these mandatory for soft drink companies, so that soft drinks, consumed particularly by children, are checked and regulated. No more delays. No more procedures. We want safety first.’’
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Asked about the ministry’s reservations, Narain claims the delay has been ‘‘deliberate’’. In October 2005, the standard was finalised, and in March 2006, it was reconfirmed by the committee as ready for implementation. Soon after, the BIS website noted that the standard (IS 2346) has been finalised, though not yet ready in print. A few weeks later, this mention was erased. When contacted, BIS officials were silent on the issue.
Recalling the sequence of events, Narain says, ‘‘In November 2004, Central Committee on Food Standards (CCSF) decided to set up a national expert committee to study the matter. In 2005, National Expert Committee decided to test sugar samples and said this will be a pilot study. In 2006, it said, they are still testing. Officials said as this is a pilot study, no time frame can be given on when the final standards will be set.’’
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