During a massive drive against restaurants and shopkeepers found violating food safety regulations and public health norms Police have registered 12 FIRs against violators in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. As per Police several establishments were found to be operating in contravention of prescribed guidelines and strict legal action has been initiated by various police stations across the district and 12 FIRs have been registered in this regard.
Such inspections and raids are being carried following the seizure of rotten meat and poultry items in the length and breadth of the Kashmir Valley. Though too much outcry has been witnessed over the issue, it seems the unscrupulous and greedy elements within the society are not relenting and risking the public health shamelessly. This indicates that either the society, by and large, has turned insensitive or the law enforcing agencies are lacking the will to curb malpractices.
It is not about the food items only, drug trafficking is peaking with every passing day, developmental projects are being delayed, sub-standard and not up-to-mark material is being used in construction works, the prices of edibles and other items of day-to-day use are sky rocketing, adulterated food items are being sold in markets, people are throwing their domestic garbage randomly chocking drains and in rural areas the fresh water streams have been turned into stinking drains, corruption is rampant, and we as a society are not only watching it mutely but also contributing to this mess.
No society in the world can progress unless its members inculcate a sense of responsibility towards each other and also towards the collective good of the whole of the society. Neither governments nor some other sort of law enforcing agencies can make a society vibrant and self reliant though these may supplement society’s own efforts in this direction. In fact, the major responsibility lies on every individual of the society to judge and understand what is good for his/her society and what not. The members of a civilized society never make it a habit to raise fingers towards others instead they develop a tendency of introspection. The introspection is the corner-stone of each society’s progress and development. Hiding ugliness is no answer to the ills but identifying it and then trying to beautify it only helps societies to remain in good health.
Srinagar city and other parts of the Valley had a narrow escape from disastrous floods the other day (though much devastation of fruits, crops and homes and hearths was witnessed in parts of south and central Kashmir), but the society still remains unconcerned and there is no debate about the seriousness of the issue. Same is true about another serious issue – corruption.
We may not be directly involved in corrupt practices but does that mean we are not a party to it. Which field of our life is not plagued by corruption? Whenever we talk about corruption, we just put all the blame on governmental sector, bureaucracy and politicians. Yes, there is huge corruption there, but is that all? Are others not corrupt? Of late, we as a society have found that we were being fed rotten and unclean meat and chicken. Who were the people involved in this dirty trade? They are no foreigners, they are our own and to earn some quick bucks, they were feeding poison to their fellow citizens. Fact of the matter is that we as a society have proved a failure because we never dare to introspect.