Central government addresses issue of contamination of soft drinks

New Delhi, Nov 17 (UNI) The central government has assured the Supreme Court that it was addressing with utmost seriousness the issue of contamination of soft drinks through the use of pesticides and other chemicals.

The government in its initial response to a PIL seeking ban on the sale of Pepsi and coco-cola in the country, has also informed the Supreme Court that a national level experts committee headed by the Chairman of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has already been appointed as per the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and the scope of the expert committee has been widened as per the directions of the Apex Court.

A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhan and Dalveer Bhandari adjourned the hearing till the first week of January 2007 awaiting the report of the expert committee which is expected to come by the end of that month.

The court is also awaiting the notification of Food, Safety and Standard Bill,2005 by the government.

The government has denied the allegations made by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation , the petitioner NGO, that it was not enforcing the provisions of prevention of Food Adulteration Act at the cost of millions of people who consume these soft drinks which did not even display the ingredients on the bottle.

UNI AKS SC SY HT1932