With regard to substandard and unsafe adulterous food, Court of Judicial Magistrate Ist Class Budgam Imtiyaz Ahmed Lone while concluding the trial has found two accused guilty for the commission of offence under section 26(1) (2) (i) (ii) of Food Safety Act 2006 punishable under section 59 and 51 of Food Safety and Standard Act 2006. The two accused who have been convicted by the court are Syed Ibrahim Rizvi son of Late Haji Mohammad Abdullah Rizvi of Magam M/S RCF Wholesaler/Distributor near Rizvi Stop Magam and Rajiv Khera son of Late Om Prakash Khera of Amritsar Punjab, Manufacturer/Processor/Packed by Shiv Shankar Udyog VPO Chati Wind Taramtam Road.
In its judgment the court maintained that: “in M/S Khyber Agro Farms Pvt Ltd Village Ladhoo Lethpora case this court has convicted the company for providing detergent in the milk product. This court has already held the Z-Turmeric-Gold Powder unsafe for human consumption. This court is of the opinion that there are numerous cases pending before various courts and authorities in which product supplied to the nation are either substandard or unsafe and nation is forced to consume adulterous food, that is the reason fatal diseases like cancer is spreading in Jammu and Kashmir and fresh cases are being registered with the Hospitals. From medical reports and the products which are being supplied for human consumption contains such elements which causes cancer for a consumer who purchases food items just for his daily consumption.”
The court said that for the interest of the general public and for the safety of the nation, the Commissioner Food Safety and Standards Kashmir is hereby directed to publish list of articles, food items seized by the Department wherein cases have been filed and concluded in conviction in Print and Electronic media for the purpose of information and awareness to the general public.
“Commissioner Secretary Food and Safety Kashmir shall also intimate to this court that what action the department has taken regarding the cancellation of license and continuous flow of the food items declared either unsafe or substandard,” the Court said and directed Deputy Commissioner Food and Safety to lift the products forthwith belonging to the convicted company from the market and shall also issue a direction to the Sales Tax Department to prevent its flow into Valley or any other part of State of Jammu and Kashmir and shall cancel the license of the convicted company forthwith.
The Court according to news agency CNS maintained that Deputy Commissioner Food Safety will immediately issue orders upon his subordinates that they will lift samples regarding milk, Edible Oil, Confectionary, Sweets and other items from the market and will refer the same to District Laboratory and Referral Laboratory and on receipt of the report appropriate action shall be initiated.
Pertinently, Food Safety Officer Budgam in November 2013 while on inspection tour to main market Beerwah, inspected the premises of Abdul Hamid Wani proprietor M/S Wani Trader Sukh-Nag and seized some products for sale including Turmeric Powder namely Z-Gold Batch number 036 that was later on found not only adulterous but unsafe for consumption. The role of the convicted persons was established during the three years long investigation.
(CNS)