The Kerala High Court directed the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (SUPPLYCO) to ensure that the food articles distributed by it are of good quality, by conducting due testing of the articles supplied, following the procedure prescribed in the SUPPLYCO Quality Manual.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice A J Desai and Justice V.G. Arun closed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filedd highlighting grievance regarding the inaction on the part of the authorities in taking appropriate action against the suppliers of substandard and adulterated jaggery and pappadam for distribution along with other food items included in the Onam Ration Kits supplied by the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (SUPPLYCO) during the Onam season of 2020.
The Counsel for the petitioner submitted that in spite of a strict procedure for sampling of items being in force, there were lapses on the part of the officials of the SUPPLYCO, which resulted in the inferior items being included in the Onam Kit.
It is submitted that the consumption of such inferior material will lead to disastrous results and therefore, not only the SUPPLYCO but the Government also should have intervened and taken stringent action against the wrong doers.
Finally, it is submitted that strict direction should be given to the SUPPLYCO to ensure that such incidents do not recur in future.
The Standing Counsel for the SUPPLYCO submitted that the SUPPLYCO Quality Manual prescribes scientific methods for sampling and such procedure is being strictly followed. The inferior quality materials supplied for including in the Onam Kit were also detected through the sampling conducted by the SUPPLYCO itself and immediately thereupon, action was taken. The substandard and unsafe items were withdrawn and instead of jaggery, sugar was included in the kits. Further, the erring suppliers were blacklisted.
Advocate Grashious Kuriakose , ADGP for the State authorities submitted that, on the incident being reported, samples were drawn and on testing, 9 samples were found to be unsafe and 5 to be of substandard quality. As regards the unsafe articles, prosecutions were launched and with respect to the substandard articles, adjudication process was initiated. It is submitted that appropriate action, in accordance with the relevant legal provisions, is being taken in all such cases.
From the submissions made, the Court was satisfied that appropriate action has been taken by the SUPPLYCO as well as the Government.