Committee on Petitions Calls for Strict Action Against Food Adulteration in J&K
SRINAGAR: The Committee on Petitions today convened a meeting to discuss a petition concerning the widespread adulteration of essential food commodities—including mutton, fish, chicken, milk, wheat, and other processed food items—across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was chaired by Chairman Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah and attended by members Mushtaq Guroo, Salman Sagar, Mian Mehar Ali, and Thakur Randhir Singh. Also present were senior officials, including the Commissioner of the Food and Drugs Authority, the Commissioner of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, the Director of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (Kashmir), the Director of Animal Husbandry (Kashmir), the Commissioner of Excise and Taxation, the Controller of Legal Metrology, and Food Safety Officers.
At the outset, Chairman Shah emphasized the need for rigorous market inspections across Jammu and Kashmir and strict monitoring of food supply channels. The committee discussed measures to prevent the circulation of substandard mutton, fish, and chicken. He instructed that all existing guidelines be implemented fully and that stringent action be taken against those involved in selling rotten meat or adulterated products.
The Chairman further directed concerned authorities to revive and ensure proper functioning of slaughterhouses throughout J&K, strengthen checkpoints at Lakhanpur, Udhampur, and other strategic locations, and closely monitor the entry of adulterated food items and spurious drugs into the territory.
“Supply of rotten meat and other adulterated food items in J&K is a serious issue that must be addressed urgently, with strict action taken against the offenders,” he asserted.
Committee members expressed concern over the rising incidence of foodborne illnesses in the region and urged aggressive market inspections, regular sample collection, and testing to ensure safe food products are available to consumers. They also highlighted the need for strict enforcement, including imposing penalties on violators to prevent future breaches.
