By IANS,
New Delhi : The external affairs ministry wants a review of the health ministry’s decision to suspend for three months food imports from Japan due to radiation hazards from the Fukushima nuclear plant.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, in a tweet, said she had already taken up the three-month import ban on food items from Japan with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
“Have taken it up with food safety and urged review of advisory (sic),” Rao said in the tweet.
She also noted that since the quantity of food imports from Japan was small and since there was no formal notification, this advisory from the health ministry could be withdrawn.
“Quantity imported small. No notification…so not set in stone (sic),” she said.
India Tuesday suspended food imports from Japan for three months or until concerns remain in the wake of radiation hazards arising from the Fukushima nuclear plant following a deadly earthquake and tsunami March 11.
“Import of food articles coming from Japan stand suspended with immediate effect for three months or till such time as credible information is available that the radiation hazard has subsided to acceptable limits,” the health ministry advisory had said, promising to hold weekly reviews by the FSSAI.
The advisory followed a review of the situation arising out of radioactive incidents in nuclear power plants in Japan and possible contamination of Japanese food imported into India.
India decided March 15 to test all food items coming into India from Japan for radiation.