It is the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety of the food and enforce the food safety laws for the wellbeing of the citizens. But so far, authorities have failed to do so. Despite clear orders for implementing the stringent Food Safety Standards Act, hardly any food safety checks are conducted. Neither there is any action against the violators of food safety norms.
Food safety is a big challenge faced by Jammu and Kashmir, like the rest of the country. Food adulteration and contamination is a problem that needs serious government attention.
The rising number of food-borne diseases due to lack of environmental sanitation, unavailability of safe drinking water and unabated use of chemicals at the various stages of our food chain has made it necessary to enforce strict safety standards and make quality checks a routine. According to the World Health Organisation, one in 10 people fell ill due to contaminated food in developing countries like India.
In Kashmir, random checks undertaken by the authorities have shown milk and food items, particularly oil and vegetables, are highly contaminated and adulterated, even containing harmful elements. A survey by the FSSAI, as early as in 2012, has also revealed that 83% of milk consumed in Jammu and Kashmir is adulterated. Higher levels of adulteration and contamination can have adverse effects on the health of the citizens.
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety of the food and enforce the food safety laws for the wellbeing of the citizens. But so far, authorities have failed to do so. Despite clear orders for implementing the stringent Food Safety Standards Act, hardly any food safety checks are conducted. Neither there is any action against the violators of food safety norms.
The infrastructure required for routine food checks is not adequate. A single food-testing laboratory cannot cater to the whole Kashmir division. It is not even sufficient for about two million population of Srinagar city. What about the other towns and villages of the Valley?
If the officials claim that routine checks and testing are going on at some places, one fails to know why not a single case of contamination or adulteration is brought to the surface. How come people will believe that the concerned government agencies do it, silently, when it publicises even a minor violation of misbranding and wrong printing on a candy wrapper with mention of fine taken, besides other details.
The government needs to take necessary steps to check the adulteration and contamination of food and milk by ensuring the implementation of the FSSA Act in letter and spirit. Besides, there is a need to upgrade the existing infrastructure with more laboratories and other testing equipment in the UT.
Checking for adulteration and contamination of food and milk should be a regular practice by the Food Safety Commission and other agencies. As it is the practice around the world, to check the samples from time to time for conformity of safety and standard. The same should be the case here as well. Whatever the basic infrastructure and manpower for testing food standards available, the facilities are not utilised at all.
Concerted efforts of various government agencies and private businesses can make food safe. Food safety laws must be implemented strictly, and the government must take strict action against all those found violating the prescribed standards of food safety. Besides, there is a need for awareness campaigns about food safety norms and standards.
