SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Aug 29: Despite having accreditation by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), legal testing of food items in Jharkhand is completely stopped as officials of the Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) have been sitting on the notification of Jharkhand for last five months.
In April, NABL had given accreditation to Jharkhand State Lab Ranchi for two years (April 2022 to April 2024) to carry out the legal testing of food samples. But FSSAI has not issued a notification under Section 43 so far to kick start the testing.
According to the rules, after accreditation from NABL, FSSAI issues notification under Section 43 of the Food Safety Standard Act for the concerned lab to carry out the testing. But in the matter of Jharkhand, FSSAI has wrapped up the file.
Interestingly, Bihar and Jharkhand had applied to FSSAI for notification under Section 43 around the same date. FSSAI issued a notification for Bihar lab but held up the one for Jharkhand without any reason. Sources said the then health minister of Bihar Mangal Pandey intervened and got a notification for his state.
“I am surprised why notification of Jharkhand is held up as FSSAI asked for clarification (questions) two times and both times we duly replied,” said Chaturbhuj Meena, Jharkhand lab analyst.
Chaturbhuj Meena, who is considered the senior most analyst in the country, said that generally after accreditation of NABL to the lab, FSSAI duly issues the notification for carrying out the analysis of samples.
“But it is beyond my comprehension that despite answering all questions, FSSAI has held up the notification. Moreover, FSSAI has Rs 10 crores on Jharkhand lab on modernization,” he said.
In the lack of FSSAI notification, hundreds of food samples including around 150 of Babadham and Basukinath Dham Shrawani Mela are pending for testing. The official of the state health department said for time being, the samples are being sent to the Kolkata National lab.
