Report No. 24
Ministry of Health
Date of appointment |
Duration of Commission |
Matter for which appointed |
Remarks |
| 23-5-1958 (Kerala and Madras Food Poisoning Enquiry Commission) | One month from the date of which it commences its inquiry | The inquiry into and report on the following matters, and for that purpose could take such evidence as is considered necessary:- (a) the circumstances and the causes whereby the food or foodstuffs used in preparing the food came to be contaminated; (b) whether the contamination could have been avoided or detected in time; (c) the action, if any, taken by the person or persons concerned after detection of such contamination to prevent further distribution of the contaminated food or foodstuffs; (d) whether there had been any failure in taking adequate measures for the avoidance or timely detection of such contamination and the person or persons responsible for such failure, and (e) the measures, to be taken to safeguard against similar occurrences in future. |
1. The Kerala and Madras Food Poisoning Cases Enquiry Commission embarked upon the enquiry on the 6th June, 1958 and submitted its Report to the Government of India on the 5th July, 1958. 2. In the Report, the Commission have inter alia made- (i) their special recommendation about the disposal of foodstuffs seized by the Kerala State Government; and (ii) their general recommendations in regard to the steps to be taken to prevent such occurrences in future. 3. In so far as the special recommenda-tions are concerned, they were accepted by the State Government concerned who took necessary action in the matter. 4. As regards the fifteen general recommendations, a Committee consisting of the epresentatives of the Ministries of C.& I., Food and Agriculture, Labour and Employment, Transport and Communications, Railways, S.R.& C.A., Law, Health, W.H. & S., Finance and Home Affairs was constituted. This Committee made recommendations for (i) short term measures and (ii) long-term measures. Short term measures: Those insecticides which are considered highly toxic to man were notified as "Poison" under the Poisons Act, 1919 by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The State Governments were also advised by that Ministry to take further action under the Poisons Act, 1919. The other short-term measures were taken by various ministries concerned.< Long-term measures: The Ministry of Food and Agriculture were requested to take necessary action to sponsor and pilot a bill called " Indian Pesticides Bill" for regulating the manufacture, import, storage, transport, distribution, etc. of pesticides. |
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