Allahabad HC takes Suo moto reference to the rejected Namkeens of branded companies re-sold locally by means of Adulteration
The Allahabad High Court obtained a report relating to rejected Namkeens of branded companies procured in the name of cattle feed and being sold under local brand names. The report aforesaid was published on Amar Ujala Network on 21 February, 2020A bench of the Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Samit Gopal directed its Registry a Public Interest Litigation to be...
The Allahabad High Court obtained a report relating to rejected Namkeens of branded companies procured in the name of cattle feed and being sold under local brand names. The report aforesaid was published on Amar Ujala Network on 21 February, 2020
A bench of the Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Samit Gopal directed its Registry a Public Interest Litigation to be filed in the name of “Suo moto reference to the rejected Namkeens of branded companies procured in the name of cattle feed.”
The High Court got a report which stated that the rejected Namkeens of branded companies was procured in the name of cattle feed by adulterators. According to the report, adulterators obtained the rejected stock of big companies like Haldiram, Bikaneri, Bikaji, Parle, Balaji and Crax which are found to be of sub-standard quality during testing. These adulterators acquired lots of the rejected stock in the name of cattle feed in auction and changed its brand name to a local one and sold them in markets in dirt cheap prices.
According to experts, the products made from the rejected namkeen are very harmful to the health. The Court observed that given the low price, such products are high in demand while the products of the branded companies do not let it happen.
It was also noted that the daily business of namkeen in the districts is worth more than Rs. 1 crore. The Court observed that the sub-standard namkeen were found to be prepared by using inedible mixtures and have made their way upto the muhallas and villages. Some of these products are imitations of the renowned companies in toto.
As per the market sources, the branded companies like Haldiram, Bikaneri, Parle, Balaji and Crax etc. which give high importance to their quality standards test their products using hi-tech apparatuses. The entire lot is rejected even if there is the slightest deviation from the set standards.
As per the sources, the rejected namkeen is declared cattle-feed. It is followed by public auction. The loose namkeen manufacturers purchased the lots of this namkeen (cattle-feed). Using this cattle-feed the local product is prepared and brought into the market as new brand. It's demand in the village and muhallas is high in comparison to the branded namkeens because of the low prices.
It was found that half a dozen factories indulged in the practice of adulteration. As per sources, business of more than Rs. 1 crore was being expanded to villages and localities of the state of Uttar Pradesh.
The Government Advocate Syed Ali Murtaza requested the Court for some time to avail necessary instructions from the competent Authorities of the State of Uttar Pradesh and also from the Officers concerned in all the districts of the State.
The Allahabad High Court listed the petition to be heard on 20 March, 2020 as a fresh case.