TASMAC case: Food safety officials told to inspect distilleries

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar offered the direction while dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by V Sriraman, seeking action against 16 distilleries for manufacturing and selling spurious, adulterated and sub-standard liquor through TASMAC outlets.

The bench also issued notice to all the 16 distilleries and the state government before posting the case for further hearing to December 22.

The petitioner while referring to a news item in a daily which on analysing certain alcohol drinks in a lab had revealed that it doesn’t conform to Indian standards, submitted that despite the alcohol items manufactured without conforming to prescribed standards they were being maliciously certified by supervisory officers from the Excise department and bottled for human consumption.

Stating that none of the liquor producers in the State was adhering to prescribed Indian standards, the petitioner said the pre-bottling tests indicate dangerous levels of tartaric acid, volatile acid and other characteristics.

The State authorities were also not bothered about the quality of the liquor sold at the TASMAC outlets, he added.