Rotten fish, contaminated sweets seized in food safety drive

Budgam, Aug 14: The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Budgam, in collaboration with the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration Kashmir, on Thursday destroyed 10 kilogrammes of rotten fish and nearly 25 kilogrammes of contaminated sweets in the main headquarters of the district with the help of the Municipal Committee Budgam during a market inspection.The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Budgam, in collaboration with the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration, Kashmir, organised and conducted an Awareness Campaign-cum-Joint Inspection to check food establishments, including restaurants, street food vendors, grocery stores, and other outlets in the Budgam main headquarters.This initiative aimed to enhance food safety standards and ensure compliance among food service providers operating in public facilities. The campaign also sought to educate the public on reporting unsafe food practices to the relevant authorities and on identifying potential hazards in food. The initiative was held under the guidance of O.P. Bhagat, Principal District and Sessions Judge Budgam, and under the active supervision of Nusrat Ali Hakak, Secretary DLSA Budgam. During the inspection, improvement notices were issued to food chain operators and other food service providers. These notices addressed various compliance issues and emphasised the need to meet the safety standards laid out in the Food Safety Act.An on-the-spot food testing van conducted preliminary testing, and about 10 kilogrammes of rotten fish and nearly 25 kilogrammes of contaminated sweets were destroyed with the help of the Municipal Committee Budgam, headed by the Secretary of the Municipal Committee. Several food samples were also collected for further testing.