The Hindu Business Line : PIL against JPC report on soft drinks admitted

THE Bombay High Court today admitted a public interest litigation filed by the Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI) against the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on suitable safety standards for soft drinks.

A division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Justice Mr C.K. Thakker, and Justice Mr S.A. Bobde has ordered both the Maharashtra State and Central Governments to respond to the case by mid-July.

The JPC was set up in response to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) findings of pesticide residues in samples of 12 soft drink brands, and the terms of reference assigned to the committee were to examine the CSE findings, and to suggest criteria for evaluating suitable safety standards for soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverage where water is the main constituent.

Dr A.R. Shenoy, Chairman, Consumer Guidance Society of India, told Business Line that the JPC report dated January 27 not only failed to set any such safety standards in respect of soft drinks, but also has completely overlooked the issue of contamination of fruit juices and other beverages.

The JPC report did to certain extent comment on the safety standards with regard to manufacture of soft drinks, but there has been no attempts made to set safety standards in respect of fruit juices and other beverages; its contention being that water content in such products was minimal, the petition filed by CGSI said.

The petition said it is pertinent to note that neither the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, nor the Essential Commodities Act nor the Bureau of Indian Standard guidelines prescribe any safety standards as regards pesticide residues in water, used in manufacture of soft drinks, fruit juices and other beverages, the PIL stated.

Further, the Fruit Products Order, prescribes limits of poisonous metals in fruit products but makes no mention of pesticide residue levels in water used for manufacture of juices, soft drinks or beverages.

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