To

    The Collector,

    Kanyakumari District @ Nagercoil.

    Email- collrkkm@nic.in

Respected Sir,

         Subject:  Ensure to strictly implement the order of High Court in consonance with advisory      letter of FSSAI regarding ban on usage of newspaper for sucking or absorbing excess oils from eatables/snacks such as Bujji, Bonda, Samosa etc. in hotels, tea shops, bakeries and street vendors in Kanyakumari District- Encourage to use alternative method of tissue papers for that purpose- Request reg.:

           Ref:- 1. Advisory letter of  Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) in File No.1/Stds /Newspaper Packaging /FSSAI - 2016 Dated 06-12-2016.               2.  Circular of the Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration Department in R.No.9863/2016/SI/FSSA dated 01-04-2019.

               3. Order of Hon’ble Madras High Court in W.P. No.32102 of 2017.

                                                                         -------------

Our organization Earth & Health Care Council is an NGO functioning with the prime object of protecting the environment and preserving the health of the people.

          As by the common practice of foodstuffs like bujji, samosa, bonda are still being served in newspaper or encouraged to the consumers to be used by hanged or kept on the table a cut sized newspapers for sucking excess cooking oils in the hotels, tea shops, bakeries and street venders in almost all parts of Kanyakumari District despite such a practice is banned by Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration Department in it’s circular 2nd reference cited above in the wake of advisory letter of Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) in it’s 1st reference cited above and subsequently the Hon’ble Madras High Court proclaimed an order 3rd reference cited above directed to the Commissioner of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department and the Secretary of Home Ministry, Government of Tamil Nadu, to implement the circular 2nd ref. cited above in letter and spirit. Even though the officials of our state Food Safety and Drug Administration Department like all district Designated Officers and Food Safety Officers and the District Collectors of all district has taken staunch efforts to implement the said circular but not been able to reach in full fledged effects.  

It’s medically proved short and long term health risks are associated with the chemicals used in the inks in printing such newspapers. Our organization is imparting awareness of such an impact through social media.

In the recent past, in the wake of guidelines of said order, the District Collector of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh has imposed a complete ban on the use of newspaper for serving foods and snacks in their administrative territory and fined Rupees Two Lakhs onto the shopkeepers breaching the guidelines.   

Hence in the same way, we invoke your benign authority to ensure implementation of said order in your administrative territory with full fledged effect for the public interest at large and may also grant authorization to volunteers of our organization to issue pamphlets purporting the impact, consequence and alternative of such nature to public in general and shops/tea stalls in specific.

                                         Thanking you.

                                                                                                       Regards

                                                                                                   Dilipp Singh

                                                                                             (President of EHCC)

              Enclosure: Reference no.1 and 3.

             Copy to: The Designated Officer of Food Safety Department, Kanyakumari District.

                             Email-dofssakkm@gmail.com