Adulteration of Food Bill.

The Punjab Government has framed a draft Bill for the prevention of adulteration of food which it has forwarded for the approval of the Government of India and published for general information. The Bill is based on English Sales of Food and Drugs Act and the act on the same subject in force in the United Provinces, but some changes have been made in the arrangement and details. The Bill does not deal with drugs as it is considered that the same, adulteration and substitution of drugs, are already adequately dealt with in the Indian Penal Code. The object of the present Bill is to secure that food intended for human consumption shall be sold in pure, genuine condition without adulteration. The bill fixes statutory standard of purity of butter and ghee and provision is made for modifying the standard for any special articles of food. The Bill also contains clauses to prevent collusion between seller and warrantor and also relating to public analysis at the request of private purchasers, procuring of samples by authorised officials and analysis of such samples and ceiling sealing of samples and analysis of samples and provides pains and penalties extending to six months’ imprisonment or RI, 100 fine, or both.