Srinagar: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Jammu and Kashmir, inspected 95 street food vendors across Jammu Division, compounded 11 cases and imposed fines totalling ₹16,000 for food safety violations during an enforcement drive.
The FDA also recommended 19 cases for adjudication under Sections 56 and 58 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, before the respective Additional Deputy Commissioners. Seventeen awareness sessions were organised to educate vendors on food hygiene, safe handling and statutory compliance.
During inspections, officials detected unhygienic food-handling practices and the use of prohibited or unsuitable materials for packaging and serving food. In one enforcement action, food business operators destroyed 10 kg of newspapers and 20 kg of snacks on the spot, while a fine of ₹4,000 was imposed in connection with the violations.
The awareness sessions focused on personal hygiene, sanitation, prevention of contamination, safe storage and handling of food, and the use of food-grade packaging materials. Vendors were also sensitised to their responsibilities under food safety laws.
In a separate initiative, the FDA, in collaboration with the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), organised a Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programme at Town Hall in Anantnag. Sponsored by Nestlé India, the programme trained 200 street food vendors and food business operators, with another 100 scheduled to be covered in a subsequent session.
Participants were sensitised to safe food-handling practices, the risks of repeatedly using cooking oil, unauthorised synthetic food colours and the use of newspapers for wrapping or serving food. The programme also covered personal hygiene, cleanliness at vending sites and compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Hygiene kits were distributed among participants, while FoSTaC certificates were issued to those who completed the prescribed training requirements.
The FDA said similar programmes would be organised in other districts to improve compliance and promote hygienic street food vending. It also plans to facilitate food business registration, where applicable, and promote clean street food hubs.
The administration urged consumers to report suspected food adulteration, unsafe food or unhygienic handling practices at cfsjandk.fnd@jk.gov.in.