In a letter addressed to the chairman of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), titled, “Registration/Licensing of Food Business Operators before August 4, 2012: Extension thereof,” Praveen Khandelwal, secretary-general, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), has enumerated the issues that CAIT seeks to be redressed by the government or FSSAI.
“None of the food testing laboratories in the public sector are accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). The online licensing system was introduced to ensure uniformity, easy accessibility and transparency. However, it hasn’t been effectively implemented in a number of states, including Delhi,” he said.
Khandelwal added, “Public laboratories functioning in states require attention. The ‘upgradation’ of public laboratories is still not up to the mark. It is necessary to have a larger network of laboratories which are conforming to minimum standards in the public sector.”
