Srinagar, Mar 15: Expressing displeasure over government response to check food adulteration, the state High Court has directed the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to constitute a Special Task Force (STF) to monitor the “supply, sale of food articles and quality control” even as it asked the SMC to file compliance report on weekly basis.
The Court gave the directions after evaluating the compliance report to a slew of directions in the Public Interest Litigation seeking to curb food adulteration in the state as unsatisfactory.
The Court asked the civic body to submit compliance report on weekly basis. “File the compliance report indicating how many samples have been taken in a week, analyzed and what was their result and action taken against the violators,” the Court said.
A division bench comprising Justice Muhammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice Janak Raj Kotwal also directed Commissioner Secretary to government Health & Medical Education Department to file an affidavit indicating the timeframe and status of the comprehensive proposal, which the government was examining with regard to implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
After perusal of the compliance report of the respondents on spice manufacture and its consumption, the Court directed the concerned authorities in all the districts to take samples on weekly basis from all the factories and industrial units, which manufacture and produce spices of all kinds.
“Submit the report in a tabulated form indicating as to how many items of each type food items have been taken, sent for analysis and what was the result,” the Court observed.
Terming the compliance report filed by the government as unsatisfactory, the Court held that the samples taken were totally minimum saying they cannot help in effective control of the adulteration.
“Samples were to be taken on weekly basis. 21 samples of spices, 17 samples of Edible oil, 22 samples of cow milk and 25 samples of other eatable items like pickle have been taken which is nothing but an eyewash,” the Court held.
It said the respondents were under direction to continuously keep on testing the milk sold in the markets. “But samples have been collected, milk has been tested and throughout the State only small number of samples have been taken which can be termed to be pick and choose and we don’t appreciate it” the Court said.
The court held that the concerned authorities under the Act shall show their commitment and carry out milk testing process on weekly basis. “The concerned field agency shall submit the report through District Head and it should clearly indicate how many times in a week they have tested the milk being sold in the market” the Court said, adding the result of the tests should also be indicated in the report clearly.
Expressing displeasure for not filing compliance report by all the district magistrates in keeping with the previous Court order, the HC directed all the District Magistrates to hold meeting twice a month to ensure strict monitoring vis-à-vis implementation of the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The district magistrates have to submit their compliance report by or before next date of hearing.
Following the perusal of compliance report filled that there were six slaughter houses functioning in Jammu division with satisfactory hygienic conditions and no slaughter house functional in Kashmir division, the Court directed the concerned authorities to make suggestions about their future policy for establishing slaughter houses here.
The Court asked the officials to file report as to how the slaughter of the animals is monitored and what quality of mutton is being supplied to the consumers.
The Court directed the government to constitute an expert committee including the appropriate authorities of Municipal Corporation to come out with the suggestions as to how standard quality of mutton can be supplied to public until abattoir/slaughter houses are established.
“What measures shall be necessary for controlling the activities of the butchers/dealers in selling the quality meat to the public at the rates fixed. The committee as constituted shall submit its report within two weeks,” the court said.
Advocate Showkat Ahmad Dar represented the petitioners while AAG, JA Kawoosa, ASG, SA Makroo and Advocate BA Khan represented the respondents.
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