Food adulteration in J&K has reached a stage where it can no longer be treated as an episodic enforcement issue; it has become a full-blown public health emergency. The recent disclosures in the Assembly, along with the massive quantity of rotten meat and adulterated dairy products seized during the last financial year, expose a disturbing reality: adulteration was not an emerging problem; it was already deeply entrenched in the supply chain, while enforcement agencies remained largely reactive rather than proactive. The concern expressed across party lines indicates that the crisis has crossed political boundaries. When Assembly Speaker openly suggests amending laws if they are “toothless,” it reflects institutional acknowledgement that the existing legal and enforcement framework has failed to keep pace with the scale and sophistication of adulteration networks. Similarly, Health Minister, admitting systemic shortcomings, including staff shortages and limited punitive authority, confirms that the problem is structural rather than incidental.
What is perhaps most alarming is the strong public perception that authorities remained largely clueless until independent electronic evidence – reportedly generated by proactive youth – started surfacing. If adulterated food could circulate so widely that suspiciously cheap prepared non-vegetarian products became normalised in markets, it suggests that warning signals were visible long before enforcement agencies responded. The obvious question remains unanswered: how many raids were conducted before the recent wave – almost a “tsunami” – of adulterated meat seizures began? If enforcement were consistent, such large-scale contamination could not have flourished unchecked.
The staffing crisis further exposes systemic fragility. Laboratories operating with more than half sanctioned posts vacant cannot realistically support real-time enforcement. A food safety system that is understaffed automatically becomes slow, reactive and vulnerable to manipulation. This vacuum has effectively created a scenario where the department appears both staff-less and toothless. Meanwhile, though the police have legal powers to arrest, they lack specialised technical expertise to identify sophisticated adulteration techniques. This jurisdictional disconnect has created enforcement paralysis.
The health implications are potentially catastrophic. While direct causation requires scientific epidemiological study, the public’s fear that lifestyle diseases, including cancers, are rising sharply due to contaminated food cannot be dismissed outright. Even the perception of such risk indicates deep erosion of public trust.
Another troubling dimension is policy inertia. The loopholes in law and enforcement are not new discoveries; they have been flagged repeatedly over the years. Yet, decisive corrective action remains pending. The Government currently appears to be in a consultation mode, seeking suggestions from MLAs. While consultation is essential in democratic governance, it is clearly inadequate given the magnitude and immediacy of the crisis. Policy response must now move from deliberation to execution.
The only viable path forward is a fully integrated enforcement architecture. Coordination between the Food Safety Department (FCSCA) and the police cannot remain ad hoc; it must be institutionalised. Dedicated joint enforcement teams with technical experts and legal authority must be created. On-spot testing, immediate case registration and fast-track prosecution must become standard practice. Nominal penalties of a few thousand rupees will never deter organised adulteration networks that operate with high profit margins. Only strict criminal liability, including business closures, asset seizure and imprisonment, can create meaningful deterrence.
Public behaviour also plays a role. Experience shows that public outrage is intense but short-lived. After initial protests and media attention, memory fades, and adulteration networks quietly resume operations. This predictable cycle benefits offenders. Therefore, enforcement must be sustained, not driven by campaigns. The encouraging sign is a rare political consensus. Leaders pushing for stronger enforcement mechanisms and legislative amendments show that the political class recognises the gravity of the threat. If this consensus translates into immediate legislative and administrative action, meaningful change is still possible.
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