“The threat of unsafe and unhygienic food has lingered unnoticed by enforcement agencies, posing a significant public health crisis. The Chief Minister’s push to enhance the system, from entry-point checks to district-level labs, is a crucial step in addressing these risks.”
Public health is non-negotiable. When the very food on our plates becomes a silent threat to our lives, governance cannot afford to look the other way. In the wake of alarming seizures of unsafe meat and meat products in the Kashmir Valley, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s stern directives mark a long-overdue turning point in the fight against food adulteration. Chairing a high-level review meeting, the Chief Minister minced no words: those found selling unsafe food will face exemplary punishment under the Food Safety & Standards Act, with criminal proceedings reserved for the most serious violators. His message was unambiguous unscrupulous elements who compromise the health and lives of citizens must be held to account. The menace of unsafe and unhygienic food has festered for far too long, slipping past the radar of enforcement agencies and into our markets. It is not just a regulatory lapse; it is a public health crisis. The Chief Minister’s insistence on tightening the system — from entry-point inspections to district-level laboratories is a welcome step toward plugging these dangerous gaps. The decision to set up Food Testing Laboratories in every district, instead of confining them to Jammu and Srinagar, will significantly enhance enforcement capacity. Screening perishable goods at Lakhanpur and Qazigund entry points will act as the first line of defence. Yet, the enforcement ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir is not without deep structural weaknesses. The Essential Commodities Act of 1955, once a powerful tool for regulating essential items, controlling prices, preventing black marketing, and ensuring quality, delegated wide-ranging powers to the Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA). However, it was one of over 200 laws repealed in August 2019, leaving the department, in the words of officials, a “toothless tiger.” As per officials, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution directed the J&K administration to “refrain from issuing or enforcing any order” under the now-defunct Act. The ministry had taken note of the UT’s attempts to regulate prices of livestock products like milk, mutton, and chicken under its provisions powers it no longer legally held. Since then, the department’s role has been reduced largely to ration distribution, with market regulation and consumer affairs functions stripped away.
“The Government’s 30-day action plan, which includes mapping vendors, increasing inspections, engaging communities, and starting public reporting campaigns, will only work if there is renewed legal power, political commitment, and ongoing oversight. Sporadic efforts must change to a culture of constant vigilance. Omar Abdullah’s strong position is a positive sign. However, without addressing the legal gap caused by the repeal of the Essential Commodities Act, enforcement will continue to be difficult. The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve safe, clean, and fairly priced food, and those who break that trust should face the toughest penalties allowed by law. In public health matters, compromise is not only expensive; it can be deadly.”
A proposal to restore certain enforcement powers to the department has reportedly been prepared since the elected government took office last year. The urgency is clear: without a functioning enforcement wing, price control, quality monitoring, and prevention of black marketing remain patchy at best. But the proposal still awaits government clearance a delay that only emboldens unscrupulous traders and weakens consumer protection. The CM’s orders for intensified inspections, personally led by Deputy Commissioners, and the deployment of mobile food-testing vans signal intent to shift from reactive policing to proactive enforcement. His call for licensing and registering all food traders adds a layer of traceability and accountability long missing from the system. Equally important is his reminder that justice must follow due process. In a climate where public anger could easily boil over into vigilantism, Omar Abdullah’s caution against mob action is timely. Lawful, transparent enforcement is the only sustainable path to restoring public trust. The health stakes could not be higher. Harmful chemicals, unauthorized additives, and poor cold-chain maintenance are not just regulatory violations they are direct assaults on the human body. Expert briefings from SKIMS and GMC Srinagar laid bare the consequences: chronic illnesses, long-term organ damage, and a cumulative erosion of public health. The government’s 30-day action plan — mapping vendors, intensifying inspections, engaging communities, and launching public reporting campaigns will only succeed if backed by restored legal powers, political will, and sustained oversight. Sporadic drives must give way to a culture of constant vigilance. Omar Abdullah’s firm stance is a welcome signal. But without addressing the legal vacuum created by the repeal of the Essential Commodities Act, enforcement will remain an uphill battle. The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve safe, hygienic, and fairly priced food and those who betray that trust deserve the harshest punishment allowed by law. In matters of public health, compromise is not just costly; it is deadly.
