Orissa High Court Raises Alarm Over Inadequate Food Safety Infrastructure
The Orissa High Court has issued a stark warning regarding significant deficiencies in the state's food safety infrastructure, highlighting a critical situation where a population of nearly 4.70 crore is dependent on just a single food testing laboratory. This observation came during a hearing where the court expressed profound concern over the inadequacy of institutional mechanisms to enforce food safety laws effectively.
Court Directs Officials to Appear and Explain Deficiencies
In response to these alarming findings, Justice S K Panigrahi has directed the secretaries of the health and family welfare department and the food supplies and consumer welfare department to appear virtually on February 24. They are required to apprise the court of the prevailing situation and provide reasons for the infrastructural deficiencies that have compromised food safety across the state.
Background of the Case and Interim Relief
The High Court was hearing a petition filed by two individuals seeking the quashing of criminal proceedings initiated against them in an alleged food safety rules violation case. This case is pending before the sub-divisional judicial magistrate in Phulbani, with the next hearing scheduled for February 12. The court has confirmed that the interim stay on the criminal proceedings, granted earlier, will continue until the next date of hearing, providing temporary relief to the petitioners.
Officials Appear and Court Makes Detailed Observations
Pursuant to the court's order dated February 2, key officials including the director of the State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL), the chief food analyst, and the food safety officer from Bhubaneswar appeared via video conferencing. After hearing arguments from the counsel for the petitioners and the state, and interacting with these officials, Justice Panigrahi made detailed observations on the dire state of affairs.
"Upon hearing counsel for the parties and upon careful perusal of the materials on record, this court is constrained to note, with deep concern, that there exists only a single food testing laboratory in the entire state, headed by one chief food analyst and assisted by a limited number of analytical chemists. The said solitary laboratory is presently catering to the needs of nearly 4.70 crore population of the state," Justice Panigrahi observed.
Court Criticizes Inadequate Arrangements and Calls for Urgent Action
Justice Panigrahi further emphasized that such an arrangement can scarcely be considered commensurate with the statutory obligations placed upon authorities to ensure food safety and safeguard public health. "The existing infrastructure appears grossly inadequate to meet the growing demands of effective enforcement, timely analysis, and quality control," he stated, underscoring the severe limitations in current systems.
Stressing the need for immediate intervention, Justice Panigrahi observed, "This court is therefore of the considered view that the matter calls for urgent and serious attention at the governmental level." He highlighted the necessity of establishing well-equipped food testing laboratories in every district, supported by adequate qualified manpower, to address these critical gaps and enhance food safety standards across Orissa.
