FDA on drive against synthetic milk in UP
Aligarh (UP): Toxic chemicals have been detected in samples of milk seized by FDA officials during a raid carried out at a private dairy here in May last, even as the department continued on its drive against synthetic milk. The report of the seized samples, which was received by the Food and Drug Administration [FDA] department earlier this week, has revealed presence of detergents. “The department had raided a dairy in Gopi village under Akrabad Police station in May and had seized chemicals worth about Rs three lakh,” FDA officer in-charge Chandan Pandey said. “Two persons including the dairy owner were detained and the milk samples were sent to laboratories for detailed tests,” he said. Based on the report, a fresh case would be filed against the two persons, that could lead up to five years of imprisonment, besides a maximum penalty of Rs 10 lakhs. Western UP has emerged as a major centre of synthetic milk in recent years and a major drive against producers of such synthetic milk is on, he added. (PTI)
FCI employees stage protest outside Food Minister’s residence
New Delhi: A group of Food Corporation of India employees on Friday staged a protest outside the residence of Union Food Minister K V Thomas here to press for their demands including introduction of an assured career progression scheme and post retirement medical benefits. The protest was organised by Bhartiya Khadya Nigam Karamchari Sangh and Food Corporation of India Executive Staff Union. “We have been long demanding introduction of percentage based ‘fringe benefits’ to employees in category III, IV, assured career progression scheme, pension scheme, post-retirement medical scheme and sanction of additional staff due to increased workload,” J S Duggal, president BKNKS, said. General Secretary of FCI Staff Union Vinod Kumar Verma said if the government did not heed to the demands then the employees will observe a “token strike” on December 13 which would be followed by an “indefinite strike” beginning December 20.” (PTI)
JNU student complains of sexual harassment at IFFI
Panaji: Close on the heels of the Tehelka episode, an allegation of sexual harassment has hit the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) after a Delhi-based student working as a programmer complained against a senior film festival official. The complaint by the JNU student, which is lodged with the IFFI Director Shankar Mohan, has accused a senior festival officer of the rank of deputy director of making lewd suggestions in the form of indirectly asking for sexual favours. “On the night of November 16, 2013, lewd suggestions were made by the said person in the form of indirectly asking for sexual favours,” says the complaint lodged on November 17. “As a result of the incident, I feel harassed and highly offended. Hence I would like to report this matter under The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013,” said the 25-year-old girl. The girl was in Goa at the IFFI venue on the assignment to assist the Soul of Asia and World Cinema sections. The girl has accused the officer of inviting her to his cabin at the Old Goa Medical College (GMC) building in the late evening and suggested that she should accompany him for a drink. “Drinks karne chalna hai, drinks bhi karenge aur sab kuch karna hai (Lets go for a drink, lets drink and do everything),” the complaint quotes the officer as saying. The victim further has said the officer repeated his comments again despite her showing signs of uneasiness over his advances. Along with the sexual harassment complaint, the girl has also told the festival director about the officer allegedly misusing CCTV monitoring facility in his cabin for voyeuristic pleasure as the cameras were installed at the workplace where women are employed. Following the complaint, the IFFI directorate formed a three member committee comprising Nirupama Kotru, director (films) with Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry and two more women officials associated with the film festival.
The girl, who said that she felt deeply traumatized by the event, informed her family in Delhi who asked her to return home. She left Goa on Monday. Repeated attempts to reach the festival director and Kotru met with no response. (PTI)