Both Treasury, Oppn benches voice concern
Minister acknowledges certain shortcomings but lists steps taken by Govt
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 13: As Legislators from both treasury as well as opposition benches voiced concern over food adulteration with no powers to the concerned authorities for punishment even after large scale seizures, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather urged the Government to amend the law if they feel that the existing provisions are toothless.
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The Speaker’s direction came after MLAs, cutting across their party affiliations, voiced concern over food adulteration but no action against the accused despite seizures in response to a clubbed question and subsequent supplementaries in the Legislative Assembly during Question Hour.
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The clubbed question was tabled in the House by Mir Saifullah, Mubarik Gul, Pirzada Farooq Ahmad and Hasnain Masoodi, all NC MLAs.
Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo acknowledged that the concerned department can only impose fines on those founds involved in food adulterations and it was responsibility of police to enforce strict action
“Food Safety Officers have no authority to arrest. They can only inspect the installations, take samples and make seizures while it is police which can make the arrests under law. Police is not under control of the department,” Itoo said, adding despite staff shortage the department has been conducting surprise inspections and making seizures.
With MLAs from both ruling as well as opposition benches voicing concerns and the Minister admitted certain shortcomings in the law, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened and urged the Government to strengthen the legal framework to combat food adulteration.
He urged the Minister to plug the loopholes by bringing necessary amendments to the law governing food safety and food products.
“If you feel that the current provisions are not sufficient to end this trend, then why does the Government not move a bill to amend the Act? The Government should amend it and increase the powers of the Food Safety Department and make those powers more effective so that no complaints arise in this regard,” the Speaker said, stressing that public health cannot be compromised.
Referring to the Minister’s suggestion to MLAs to take steps, Rather said the legislators can only bring private member’s bill.
Sakina said she has not asked the members to bring amendments but they can give their suggestions. However, she said, police is not under control of the department.
Raising supplementaries, CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami and BJP’s Balwant Singh Mankotia made suggestions and sought more details on enforcement action, inter-departmental coordination, legal follow-up and preventive measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.
NC’s Saifullah Mir termed the issue “extremely important for the people of Jammu and Kashmir”. He questioned how such consignments crossed toll posts and sought clarity on the role of police, food safety authorities and municipal bodies.
Mubarik Gul, Hasnain Masoodi and Pirzada Shah also echoed concerns about systemic weaknesses in policy implementation, highlighting staff shortages, inadequate local testing infrastructure and delays in receiving reports from outside laboratories.
They called for stronger punitive provisions, including sealing of businesses involved in adulteration.
CPM legislator MY Tarigami called for clearer delineation of powers and stronger coordination with police, suggesting that a specialised enforcement mechanism could be considered.
BJP’s Balwant Singh Mankotia urged the Government to bring amendments in the current session of the Assembly itself, instead of waiting for a private member’s bill.
In her written reply to the MLAs, Health Minister Sakina Itoo informed that more than 12,183.5 kg of rotten meat, worth over Rs 29.19 lakh, was destroyed during 1,676 inspections across Jammu and Kashmir during the Financial Year 2025-26, up to December 2025.
In addition, she said 7,665 kg of adulterated cheese worth more than Rs 16.32 lakh was seized in the Jammu region.
A total of 144 samples of meat and meat products and 173 samples of cheese were lifted for analysis at food laboratories within and outside Jammu and Kashmir, Itoo said.
The reports for all the 144 meat and meat product samples have been received, with one declared sub-standard and 17 found unsafe. Similarly, reports have been received for 157 of the 173 cheese samples. Forty-seven of the samples have been declared sub-standard and one was found unsafe, the Minister said.
Itoo acknowledged a shortage of technical manpower in both food-testing laboratories in the Union Territory — one each in Srinagar and Jammu — stating that against the 19 sanctioned posts in each, 11 are vacant. However, she said the 22 vacant posts will be referred to recruiting agencies once the recruitment rules are finalised.
To curb food adulteration and safeguard public health, the food safety department has intensified enforcement by conducting regular inspections of food establishments, lifting and testing samples through notified laboratories, and taking strict action against violators, including suspension or cancellation of licences, penalties and prosecution, the minister said.
She said action has been initiated against 18 food-business operators found involved in the sale of unsafe meat and meat products in various districts, including Srinagar and Jammu, with most of the cases currently under process.
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