SRINAGAR: The Kashmir Bakers and Confectioners Association on Saturday accused the government of supplying unhygienic food items to firms and people.
“It is government that supplies unhygienic food material to people and outlets and is careless towards tackling the problem that directly concerns our health,” President KBCA Bashir Ahmad Sufi told Kashmir Reader on the sidelines of an awareness program for bakers organised by the association in a local hotel here.
The association had invited Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, Deputy Commissioner, Food Safety, Irfana Ahmad and Assistant Commissioner,Food Safety, Hilal Ahmad Mir to the event.
“From water to ration, everything the government supplies is unhygienic and not up to the standards set up by the food regulatory bodies,” Sufi alleged.
The KBCA president said that they were compelled to organise a food safety awareness program for its members after witnessing the government’s “carelessness” over the issue.
“We are doing a program whichwas supposed to be organised by government. This shows the administration’s sorry state of affairs with regard to development of a hygienic society,” Sufi said.
The Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said that they have to take the issue (of food safety) “very seriously”.
“Though we have food safety agencies, it’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure that the products we consume are up to the standards,” he said, adding that everyone in the society has to play a role in this regard.
“Generally, during festivals, we start preparing food products much before they are consumed. We must be careful enough to consume fresh products,” he said.
The Deputy Commissioner, Food Safety, Irfana Ahmad said their “teams are, round the clock, conducting inspections to ensure the markets are following the regulations laid down by the Food Safety Act (FSA)”.
“Our officers are fully committed to their job. Apart from taking notice of the complaints, they are keeping a close vigil over markets and proper action is taken against those found violating the food safety norms,” she said.
The Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety, Hilal Ahmad Mir told Kashmir Reader that such awareness programs are not only meant for bakers and food outlets but are organised “in the larger interest of the general public”.
When asked whether there is any training imparted to bakers with related to food safety measures, Mir said they conduct workshops for those working in food outlets “to make them updated at par with the latest techniques”.
“Just like everything, this also is a gradual process and it will take some more time to make society fully aware of the process,” he said.
“It is government that supplies unhygienic food material to people and outlets and is careless towards tackling the problem that directly concerns our health,” President KBCA Bashir Ahmad Sufi told Kashmir Reader on the sidelines of an awareness program for bakers organised by the association in a local hotel here.
The association had invited Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, Deputy Commissioner, Food Safety, Irfana Ahmad and Assistant Commissioner,Food Safety, Hilal Ahmad Mir to the event.
“From water to ration, everything the government supplies is unhygienic and not up to the standards set up by the food regulatory bodies,” Sufi alleged.
The KBCA president said that they were compelled to organise a food safety awareness program for its members after witnessing the government’s “carelessness” over the issue.
“We are doing a program whichwas supposed to be organised by government. This shows the administration’s sorry state of affairs with regard to development of a hygienic society,” Sufi said.
The Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said that they have to take the issue (of food safety) “very seriously”.
“Though we have food safety agencies, it’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure that the products we consume are up to the standards,” he said, adding that everyone in the society has to play a role in this regard.
“Generally, during festivals, we start preparing food products much before they are consumed. We must be careful enough to consume fresh products,” he said.
The Deputy Commissioner, Food Safety, Irfana Ahmad said their “teams are, round the clock, conducting inspections to ensure the markets are following the regulations laid down by the Food Safety Act (FSA)”.
“Our officers are fully committed to their job. Apart from taking notice of the complaints, they are keeping a close vigil over markets and proper action is taken against those found violating the food safety norms,” she said.
The Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety, Hilal Ahmad Mir told Kashmir Reader that such awareness programs are not only meant for bakers and food outlets but are organised “in the larger interest of the general public”.
When asked whether there is any training imparted to bakers with related to food safety measures, Mir said they conduct workshops for those working in food outlets “to make them updated at par with the latest techniques”.
“Just like everything, this also is a gradual process and it will take some more time to make society fully aware of the process,” he said.
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