Committee on Petitions calls for stringent action against food adulteration, spurious drug sale in J&K

Srinagar, Sep 15: The Committee on Petitions Monday held a meeting to deliberate upon a petition on “Widespread Adulteration of Essential Food Commodities including Mutton, Fish, Chicken, Milk, Wheat, and other Processed Food Items within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The meeting was chaired by Chairman, Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, and attended by members including Mushtaq Guroo, Salman Sagar, Mian Mehar Ali, and Thakur Randhir Singh.
Also present were the Commissioner, Food and Drugs Authority, J&K; Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation; Director, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Kashmir; Director, Animal Husbandry, Kashmir; Commissioner, Excise and Taxation, J&K; Controller, Legal Metrology, J&K; and Food Safety Officers.
At the outset, the Chairman called for rigorous market checking drives across Jammu and Kashmir and strict monitoring of the sale and supply of food items to the region.
The committee deliberated on measures to curb the supply of substandard mutton, fish, and chicken. The Chairman instructed that all laid-down guidelines be implemented in letter and spirit, and stringent action be taken against those involved in the sale of rotten meat or adulterated products.
He further directed the concerned authorities to ensure the revival and proper functioning of slaughterhouses across J&K, strengthen checkpoints at Lakhanpur, Udhampur, and other strategic locations, and monitor the entry of adulterated food items and spurious drugs into J&K.
“Supply of rotten meat and other food items to J&K is a sensitive and serious issue which must be investigated with utmost urgency so that strict action is taken against the offenders,” the Chairman emphasized.
Members of the Committee expressed concern over the rising number of cases of foodborne illnesses in J&K and urged for aggressive market inspections, regular sample collection, and testing to ensure the sale of safe food products across the region.
Stressing the importance of strict enforcement, the Committee also directed that penalties be imposed on violators to deter future violations.