The Supreme Court has ruled that the government is fully empowered to impose suitable conditions, including use of automated machines, for manufacturing fortified and blended food for lactating mothers and their babies as their health and safety was the paramount.
A bench of justices Altamas Kabir and S S Nijjar rejected the plea of an NGO that conditions laid down for the manufacture of food stuffs, by imposing certain conditions upon the ingredients and machinery to be used, were arbitrary.
The supplier is required to provide a fine mix of all kinds of ingredients, including the revised intake of proteins and calories, to the precise level. And the level of precision was already earmarked for each kind of food.
The procedure adopted is necessary to ensure that there is zero infection in the food which is going to be consumed by infants and the children who are already under nourished.
Justice Nijjar in his judgement said that it cannot be over emphasized that, since the beneficiaries of the 'Dense Energy Food and Fortified Blended Mixture' are infants from the age group of 6 months to 3 years and pregnant and lactating mothers. Such procedure avoid the use of the human hands in the processes like handling, cleaning, grinding, extrusion, mixing etc, all of which are done automatically.
The Apex Court passed the judgement dismissing the appeal of Shagun Mahila Udyogik Sahakari Sanstha Maryadit challenging certain conditions imposed by the Maharashtra Government for alloting contracts in the production of food under the national, Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).
News Reported by AR for Newsvision
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