With the state authorities admitting that the only two food testing laboratories in the state are completely outdated, with most of the installed equipment dysfunctional, the J&K High Court has observed that the report filed by the authorities concerned is sufficient to indicate that the people of the state have been left at the mercy of the God.
The HC has sought personal appearance of the state Chief Secretary and other officials, including the Commissioner Secretary, Health and Food, Commissioner, Food Safety, and the Financial Commissioner, Finance and Planning Department, on May 4.
The orders were passed by a division bench of the High Court which is hearing a PILseeking an end to food adulteration.
“The respondents in the compliance/status report have stated that there are only two food testing laboratories in the entire J& state, one at Dalgate, Srinagar, and another at Patoli, Mangotrian in Jammu. The report further shows that both these laboratories are completely outdated and the equipment installed there is mostly dysfunctional,” the High Court said in its orders made available today.
In the status report, it has also been stated that there are only two food analysts and at present only one analyst is available as the other has been attached in pursuance of the orders of the Judicial Magistrate, Budgam, who vide his judgment on April 4, 2016, convicted Ghulam Ali Khan and Mohamamd Shafi Ganai, the nominated person of Khyber Agro Farms Private Limited, for having committed offence punishable under the J&K Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
In order to ensure that provisions of the Act of 2006 and rules made there under are effectively implemented at the ground level and to further ensure that menace of producing/processing & supplying adulterated food to the consumers is at once stopped, and further the increase in rate of fatal and terminal diseases is arrested, the court has arrayed the state of J&K through the Chief Secretary, Commissioner Secretary, Health & Food, Commissioner, Food Safety, Financial Commissioner, Finance and Planning, as respondents in the PIL.
The court has directed owners/MDs of the food processing and manufacturing units to file an affidavit indicating how they are complying with the provisions of the J&K Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The food units have also been asked to give information about the food testing labs set up in their units.
JK has only two outdated food-testing labs, HC told
