India halts food import from Japan
April 5th, 2011 - 9:20 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, April 5 (IANS) The central government Tuesday suspended import of food articles from Japan for three months due to radiation threats from a nuclear power plant crippled in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that struck the island nation.
“Import of food articles coming from Japan stand suspended with immediate effect for a period of three months or till such time as credible information is available that the radiation hazard has subsided to acceptable limits,” a statement from health ministry said after an advisory was issued for it Tuesday.
“Weekly reviews will be carried out by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),” the statement added.
The decision was taken after a meeting of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), chaired by authority chairperson P.I. Suvrathan, to review the situation arising out of radiation leaks from nuclear power plants in Japan after the earthquake.
“After detailed discussions, it was concluded that since the radiation is spreading horizontally in other parts of Japan, it may result in further radioactive contamination in the supply chain of food exports from Japan,” the statement said.
“Authorised officers of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at Indian ports, airports have been asked to get food originating from Japan (after March 11) to be tested for radiation,” another statement said.
The FSSAI has also requested the revenue department to advise all the customs points in the country, where imported food is cleared, to test food samples.
Experts from the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT), Bhabha Atomic Research Institute (BARC), Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) and Shriram Institute for Industrial Research attended the meeting.
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