State ovts not competent to ban food products: Traders

Kozhikode, Sep 22 (UNI) Stating that state governments were not competent enough to ban food products, Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithy (KVVES) today said the administration was in a hurry to ban cola products in the state without any legal support.

Reacting to the Kerala High Court judgment revoking the August ten order of the state government banning the production and sale of Coca Cola and Pepsi Coala in the state, KVVES president T Naseeruddin said only the Central government was capable enough to ban a particular food item in the country under the Prevention of Food Adultueration Act.

Citing an example he said, the Supreme Court had earlier vacated an Andhra Pradesh High Court order banning pan parag in that state as it was null and void under the PFA.

But the Kerala government, soon after assuming office, issued an order banning the products based merely on a report by the New Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment that the cola products contained pesticide residue.

Even the CSE laboratory where the tests were conducted was not fullfilled the required norms for carring out such exercises, he said.

It would have been better for the government to approch the Central government after seeking legal advise before banning cola products in the state, he opined.

With the High Court setting aside the order banning the cola products, the traders would continue selling it if the demand persisted, he added.

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