KATHMANDU: Officials at the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) have failed to act responsibly and prove their accountability in a recent scam which revealed that the multinational Unilever’s Hetauda-based Red Label Tea Plant was found to have been relabelling, repackaging and selling expired tea leaves. 

A large quantity (32 tons) of expired tea leaves was seized from the factory, on August 31. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team including local administration, Office of Food Technology and Quality Control and Forum for Protection of Consumer Rights Protection Forum had monitored the tea leaves processing center on the factory premises. 

The local administration sealed the plant for further investigations later on September 3. However, no solid action has been taken against the multi-national company yet. 

The Food Technology and Quality Control based in Hetauda, which was supposed to take an on-site action, sent samples of tea leaves to the Kathmandu-based DFTQC. Even after three weeks after the confiscation of expired tea leaves, the authority concerned has failed to take any legal action against the multi-national company. 

When asked about the inordinate delay in sample testing, the director-general of the department, Upendra Raya, had responded in an ‘irresponsible manner’. DG Raya said that the testing is being carried out as per the capacity. “It takes time. You’d better ask why officials in Hetauda sent samples here [Kathmandu]. I can’t say when we can produce a sample test report.”

Spokesperson Maharjan, too, has similar response

Mohan Krishna Maharjan, spokesperson for the department also responded in a similar way. “You’d better ask in Hetauda?”, he said when Ratopati correspondent asked about the progress in sample testing. He said he did not have any idea about the issue ‘though he is the spokesperson for the department.”

Local administration dragged into controversy 

District Administration Office, Makwanpur has been dragged into controversy as Chief District Officer (CDO) Bharat Mani Pandey has been accused of exempting the company from the legal action as provisioned in the Consumer Protection Act-2018. CDO Pandey is blamed for attempting to charge only Rs 10,000 as per the Food Act instead of the stricter provisions in the Consumer Protection Act-2018. 

The assistant chief district officer (CDO) is entrusted as an inspection officer in the district. In case no inspection officer is named, the Consumer Protection Act, 2018 gets replaced with the Food Act. As per the Food Act, a maximum of Rs 10,000 can be charged as a fine against the perpetrator.

However, as per the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act-2018, an inspection officer can take on-site action and can charge a fine amount up to 300,000 if the company is found guilty.

In the case of the Unilever ‘Red Level’ Tea Scam, the assistant CDO of Makwanpur district was already transferred and the responsibility was to be handed over to Babu Ram Aryal as per the law. But, CDO Bharat Mani Pandey exerted pressure to take action as per the Food Act stating that the Department of Food Supplies and Consumer Protection entrusted outgoing  CDO Sharma with the authority to take necessary action.  

The Department of Food Supplies and Consumer Protection, which names inspection officers in all 77 districts, had appointed the assistant CDO as the investigation officer in Makwanpur district. 

CDO Pandey, however, declined allegations against him. 

Related news: 

Unilever Red Label Tea Scam: Authorities failing to launch investigation and take action

Click the following links to read the complete news series: 

First

Second

Third

Fourth