SRINAGAR: Acting on directions of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Food Safety Organisation, Jammu Division, seized and destroyed 5 quintals of decomposed meat and about 6,000 kg of raw fish during a surprise inspection at a warehouse in Jammu, officials said on Wednesday
The enforcement action, carried out at the premises of M/s India Fish Company, was supervised by Commissioner Food and Drug Administration JK Smita Sethi. The inspection team was led by the Deputy Commissioner, Food Safety Jammu, with assistance from the District Administration, Jammu Municipal Corporation and JK Police.
Officials said approximately 150 cartons of raw fish, weighing around 6,000 kg, had been transported from Andhra Pradesh without adequate refrigeration or temperature control. Surveillance samples were drawn for laboratory analysis, while preliminary findings indicated the consignment was unsafe for human consumption. Around 500 kg of decomposed meat, found in a putrefied condition and unfit for consumption, was also seized and destroyed at the operator’s cost.
Legal proceedings have been initiated against the food business operator under relevant provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including violations related to storage of unsafe food, insanitary conditions and failure to maintain the mandatory cold chain. Authorities said the establishment’s licence is liable for cancellation.
Commissioner Sethi said Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo is closely monitoring enforcement measures and has directed strict action against food adulteration and unsafe handling practices. Officials added that inspections will intensify across districts, particularly during Ramadan, to ensure the availability of safe and hygienic food products.
The department urged the public to report suspected cases of adulteration or unsafe food handling through the toll-free helpline 104, stating that enforcement drives will continue to protect consumer health.