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| From rotten meat to spurious honey | | | Spurious food items appearing in the markets across Jammu and Kashmir have emerged as a major concern.
A few months ago, officials recovered a huge quantity of rotten meat and chicken from different areas in J&K, especially in Kashmir.
The seizure of rotten items from the market had sent shockwaves across the union territory. The ripples created by the disclosures about how the rotten items were sold had put a question mark on what do people really eat? And what’s being fed to them?
Images and reports of decomposed meat being stored in unhygienic conditions and supplied to markets and eateries forced people to ask who is responsible for safeguarding their health? The disclosures exposed not just criminal negligence, but a disturbing willingness among some traders to endanger lives for profit.
Recently, media reports surfaced that the Food Safety Department has busted another major racket about sale of fake honey and spurious desi ghee in Srinagar, exposing widespread adulteration in food items being supplied to the local market.
The recovery of hydrogenated oil being mixed with colouring agents and flavours and sold as desi ghee is particularly worrying, given the widespread use of ghee in daily cooking. Equally disturbing was the seizure of sugar, chemical additives and other raw materials used to prepare a thick syrup deceptively marketed as “pure” or locally produced honey. The use of misleading labels and roadside retail outlets to push these products highlights how easily unsuspecting consumers can be duped.
What makes the situation more distressing is that these incidents are not isolated. Several samples collected during earlier raids failed quality and safety tests, compelling authorities to intensify inspections. This points to systemic lapses in monitoring, enforcement and deterrence. While the Food Safety Department deserves credit for its recent crackdowns, reactive action alone is insufficient. The persistence of such rackets suggests that penalties may not be stringent enough to discourage repeat offences.
There is an urgent need for a comprehensive and sustained response. Regular inspections, surprise raids and swift prosecution must become the norm rather than exceptions. Equally important is transparency—publishing names of offenders and establishments found guilty can act as a powerful deterrent. Strengthening laboratory testing infrastructure and manpower will further enhance enforcement.
Food safety is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right. The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve assurance that what they consume is safe, pure and fit for human use. Anything less is an unacceptable compromise with public health and human dignity. |
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