Ziraat Times News Desk
Srinagar: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting to assess the functioning of the Food Safety Wing of the Drug & Food Control Organisation (DFCO), following recent seizures of rotten meat across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Commissioner Secretary FCS&CA, Secretary Health & Medical Education (H&ME), Commissioner Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Commissioners of Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations, and Directors of FCS&CA and Health from both divisions.
Stressing the importance of public health, the Chief Secretary called for strengthening enforcement and surveillance measures to ensure safe and hygienic food supply in the Union Territory. He directed officials to intensify inspections, particularly targeting high-risk food business operators, and to adopt stronger deterrents such as licence suspensions, convictions, and criminal proceedings instead of relying solely on penalties.
Health Secretary Dr. Syed Abid Rashid Shah briefed the meeting on DFCO’s mandate under the Food Safety & Standards Act, which covers surveillance, sampling, licensing, inspections, prosecutions, and prohibition orders against violators.
Commissioner FDA Smita Sethi presented the department’s performance, revealing that 9,294 inspections were carried out this financial year, including 1,145 risk-based inspections. Of the 2,477 legal samples lifted, 210 failed quality tests, leading to fines amounting to ₹85.80 lakh.
Special enforcement drives included 1,081 inspections of meat businesses, resulting in the seizure of 2,057 kgs and destruction of 11,034 kgs of substandard meat. Nine licences were suspended, and 34 cases were recommended for prosecution. In Jammu division, authorities also seized 45,462 kgs of substandard milk and milk-based products.
To strengthen operations, DFCO has proposed faster recruitment, two new modern food testing labs, 10 additional mobile Food Safety on Wheels units, modern slaughterhouses, inspection check-posts, and cold storage chains for meat and poultry products.
The Organisation also recommended holding regular meetings of State and District Advisory Committees to improve coordination and compliance monitoring across the UT.
