Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly’s Committee on Petitions on Tuesday reviewed petitions related to adulteration of essential food commodities in the Union Territory and called for stricter enforcement of food safety laws.
The meeting, chaired by Peerzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, also examined the Action Taken Report on the petitions and reviewed a separate petition regarding the appointment and confirmation of a Lumberdar in Porwara, Chadoora, according to an official statement.
The meeting was attended by legislators Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Javaid Riyaz (Bedar) and Dr Sajjad Shafi, along with Legislative Assembly Secretary Manoj Kumar Pandit, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Khalid Jahangir, Joint Commissioner, Food Safety, the State Drug Controller, Additional Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar, Budgam and Baramulla, and other senior officials.
Officials of the Food and Drug Administration briefed the Committee on the department’s functioning, inspection drives, enforcement measures and action taken against violators involved in the sale of adulterated food and substandard drugs, the statement said.
The Committee stressed the need for greater interdepartmental coordination to curb food adulteration and called for intensified public awareness campaigns on food safety, quality standards and consumer rights.
The Chairman directed the department to ensure strict enforcement of the law against food adulteration and maintain close vigil over the sale of prescription medicines without valid prescriptions by strengthening monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.
The Committee also directed the concerned authorities to complete the appointment process for the Lumberdar in Porwara, Chadoora, within a week and submit a compliance report, the statement added.
