As many as 11 industry bodies related to food and pharma sectors on Thursday alleged that the food regulator FSSAI has become ‘den of corruption’ and demanded a CBI inquiry into the functioning of the authority, which shot to limelight over the Maggi issue.
These 11 associations, which have formed a National Joint Action Committee, also said that the food industry is being affected due to autocratic approach of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The committee alleged irregularities in working of the food safety regulator and demanded a CBI inquiry into its affairs.
“Food safety authority has succumbed to pressure from Multi National Companies (MNCs) and wants to promote sale of packed food in India, if a trader wants to follow all the safety standards he cant do so,” Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal told reporters.
Khandelwal alleged that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has become a ‘den of corruption’.
“The environment in FSSAI is like of a private limited company, it has become autocratic, there is no actual representation of consumer organisations or business organisations on its committees.
And as a result food industry is on verge of being ruined. Therefore we demand a CBI inquiry into the affairs and functioning of FSSAI,” he added. He also demanded refund of `80 crore which has been collected by the authority for product approval.