Srinagar, Nov 1 (KNS): As the Jammu and Kashmir High Court directed the State Government to set up Food Testing Laboratories in Jammu and Srinagar immediately and make them functional, the Government said that it is already on job and necessary measures are being taken in this regard.
The Division bench after hearing a Public Interest Litigation against food adulteration had said that, two laboratories one at Srinagar and one at Jammu would be made functional by the government as soon as possible.
FCS&CA Minister Chowdary Zulfikar told KNS that the government is on job to construct two food testing Laboratories one in Jammu and another in Kashmir division so as to test the quality of ration.
He said that the government is committed to curb the food adulteration in the state. “I have directed the field officials to regularly collect samples of various items and get these checked. We have intensified surveillance across the state and initiated a cross-verification of surveillance work by sending food safety officials outside their jurisdictions for inspection,” the minister maintained.
It is important to mention here that sold food items like milk products, desi ghee, tea, spices like turmeric, chillies and black pepper have high adulteration levels in the state.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelThe adulteration percentage in these food products has been on the rise during past several years.
Time and again reports of food samples collected by the concerned authorities from across the state has indicated that adulteration of milk, milk products like desi ghee, edible oils, pulses had witnessed a steep rise, causing concern among the common people.
Similarly, mustard oil is considered to be adulterated with crude rice bran and household spices like turmeric were found to be mixed with cheap rice bran plus the addition of carcinogenic non-permitted colours.
It is to also pertinent to mention here that the State High Court has directed Government to make food testing laboratories at Srinagar and Jammu functional by providing required manpower under Food Safety and Standard Act of 2006. “Respondent State has to forthwith initiate action in setting up testing laboratories, as directed by the Court, one at Srinagar and one at Jammu. We hope and trust that, two laboratories would be made functional,” a division bench of the court comparing Justice M H Attar and Justice A M Magrey had said while hearing a suo-moto PIL. (KNS)