| Samples Fail Food Safety Tests; 1,545 Quintals Ordered for Replacement in Kishtwar | | Failed wheat samples raise serious concerns for PDS beneficiaries in Marwah, Warwan and wider J&K | | asif iqbal naik
Early Times Report
KISHTWAR, Aug 26: Serious questions have been raised over the quality of wheat supplied under the Public Distribution System (PDS) in the remote Marwah and Warwan areas of Kishtwar after all six samples tested by the National Food Laboratory (NFL), Ghaziabad, were found non-conforming to prescribed food safety standards.
Following the laboratory findings, the Directorate of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), Jammu, directed the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Jammu, to lift and replace 1,545 quintals of wheat lying in government stores-895 quintals in Marwah and 650 quintals in Warwan.
The action followed complaints from residents and beneficiaries regarding poor-quality wheat, including allegations that flour prepared from the supplied grain had a bitter taste.
The issue was examined after a public grievance redressal meeting held at Marwah and Warwan on June 21. Subsequently, the Tehsildar Marwah conducted physical verification of stocks at government sale depots at Qaderna, Chanjier and Nowpachi on June 29 in the presence of supply officials, public representatives and beneficiaries.
While the wheat appeared externally satisfactory, beneficiaries at Nowpachi complained that rotis prepared from the flour developed a bitter taste. The enquiry recommended laboratory testing to determine the cause.
Six samples were subsequently sent to the National Food Laboratory, Ghaziabad. The reports, issued in August, revealed significant deviations from prescribed standards.
Sample JK-431/AUG/26 recorded 2.74% foreign matter against the permissible 1%, mineral matter of 0.44% against 0.25%, and ergot-affected grains of 0.16% against 0.05%.
Sample JK-432/AUG/26 showed 3.67% foreign matter, 2.90% mineral matter and 0.16% ergot-affected grains. Sample JK-433/AUG/26 recorded the highest foreign matter at 7.80%, while mineral matter stood at 0.57% and ergot-affected grains at 0.18%.
The remaining samples also exceeded prescribed limits for one or more parameters. JK-434 recorded 1.50% foreign matter, 0.78% mineral matter and 0.18% ergot-affected grains; JK-435 recorded 6.12%, 0.37% and 0.17%, respectively. JK-436, although having foreign matter within the limit at 0.41%, showed excessive mineral matter of 0.34% and ergot-affected grains of 0.12%.
The laboratory concluded that the samples did not conform to the standards prescribed under Regulation 2.4.6(2) of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. The reports classified the samples as substandard and unsafe under the provisions cited in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Following the findings, the Directorate of FCS&CA, through its communication dated August 7, directed FCI Jammu to lift the affected wheat on a war-footing basis and replace it with good-quality stock. The department also directed that future wheat supplies should undergo the required chemical tests before dispatch and that appropriate action be taken against those responsible as per policy.
The findings are particularly concerning because the wheat was intended for economically vulnerable families dependent on subsidised food grains. While the laboratory reports do not establish that any beneficiary suffered illness from consuming the wheat, the presence of excessive foreign and mineral matter and ergot-affected grains warrants serious attention and accountability.
The episode also raises broader questions regarding quality-control mechanisms of FCI and food-safety authorities in Jammu and Kashmir. If six samples from PDS wheat supplied in Marwah and Warwan failed laboratory testing, authorities need to clarify how frequently similar samples are collected and tested across other districts.
The Food Safety authorities should also clarify whether regular inspections and sampling are being carried out at hotels, restaurants, roadside eateries, bakeries, meat shops, milk and dairy outlets, paneer establishments and other places supplying commonly consumed food products.
The replacement of 1,545 quintals addresses the immediate issue, but the larger question remains whether similar consignments have reached other parts of J&K. A wider quality audit of FCI-supplied wheat, particularly in remote and difficult-to-access areas, may therefore be necessary.
For families dependent on subsidised ration, the ability to reject or replace poor-quality food is extremely limited. Ensuring that every food grain supplied through the PDS is safe and compliant with prescribed standards is consequently not merely an administrative responsibility but a crucial public-health obligation. |
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