Combating adulteration in food items is a challenging task in the modern day world as erring stakeholders employ various tactics to get undue profit by deliberately mixing things of lesser values in food entities.
Conventionally, water was mixed in milk but with the advancement of science and greed of the people today the scenario has turned alarming with different types of adulteration practices in vogue giving two hoots to the regulations and without caring about the consequences of human health. Fake Khoya in sweets, cheap palm oil in different food items, synthetic Paneer and milk, and many more items being sold in the markets by adding wrongful entities has put a greater responsibility on the government’s shoulders to keep vigil and take stern action against the culprits because the health of the people is at stake.
In this regard, Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakeena Itoo has informed the Legislative Assembly that regular market inspections and sampling of rice is being conducted by the Health department across Jammu and Kashmir, including Srinagar, to check sale of adulterated rice. Reportedly the minister said this while replying to a question raised by a Legislator Shamim Firdous regarding ‘Adultered Rice’.
The Minister said that during the financial year 2025-26, 121 rice samples had been lifted and sent to NABL accredited food testing laboratories for analysis. Of which, 110 test reports have been received so far and seven samples were reported as ‘Not of Standard Quality (NSQ)’ and cases have been filed in the competent courts in terms of provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
It was informed that the department is conducting regular market inspections and sampling of rice under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 in the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, including Srinagar. She also informed the House that out of 7 NSQ samples, 3 have been found with Folic Acid content less than prescribed standards under FSSA, while 4 have been found with Chalky kernels exceeding the prescribed limits under FSSA.
Going by this whole gamut, one can say that the situation with regard to adulteration in J&K has reached a critical point and therefore the need of the hour is to go for a comprehensive drive involving the concerned departments and the cops to take strongest possible action against the adulterators because it is the responsibility of the government to check this malpractice and ensure purity in the food entities being sold in the market.
One of the best possible ways to check adulteration is to keep an eye at the places where the food items are grown, prepared or manufactured by activating the agencies meant for this purpose. Weak enforcement and lack of consistent monitoring at the production and supply-chain level allow adulteration to persist despite existing laws and inspections.
Acting against the corrupt officials can also solve this problem to a large scale therefore this angle should also be taken care of for making the system error-free. All said and done, the government has to take immediate action or else adulteration has the potential to create a serious health related crisis in the society.
