Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 5: The Drug and Food Control Organization has destroyed flood hit food items and drugs worth around Rs 4 crore that were being sold in the market.
The organization in its compliance report submitted before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court says that flood hit food items worth Rs 4 crore and drugs worth Rs 15, 000 were seized from market. The report says that these items were being sold by the traders.
The division bench of Jammu and Kashmir High Court comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Ali Mohammad Magray had directed the Organization to file fresh affidavit and action taken report.
Deputy Controller, Drug and Food Control Organization Kashmir Division, Nazir Ahmad Wani, in his action taken report submits that in pursuance of court direction the enforcement staff appointed under the Drug and Cosmetics, Act 1940 and its rules carried out inspections of 477 Drug Sales establishments from October 21 to October 30 and 1165 Food sale establishments after the recent flood hit Valley till date and confiscated and destroyed food items worth Rs. 3,92,38792 and drugs worth Rs. 14895, mostly contaminated and touched with flood water on spot.
The report says that from 230 establishments, food items worth around Rs 1.34 crores were confiscated in district Pulwama, 210 establishments, items worth around Rs 2.50 crores were seized from Anantnag.
In District Kulgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Budgam and Shopian 145, 190, 205, 180 and 105 establishments, food items valued around Rs 4 lakhs have been confiscated and destroyed.
With regard to Drug Sales establishments the report reveals that in District Srinagar, Budgam, Leh, Kargil, Anantnag and Kulgam, Baramulla and Kupwara, Ganderbal and Bandipora, 82, 86, 22, 16, 102, 91, 78, establishments respectively have been inspected and have suspended the operation of 15 drug establishments among them 8 in Srinagar, 6 in Anantnag, and 1 in Baramulla after passing of bad remarks by the enforcement staff for a period ranging from 2 to 6 days depending upon the severity of the violation of the provisions of the drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940, while as requisite information is awaited from District Pulwama and Shopian.
The report reveals that 33 drug establishments have been allowed to operate after verification of satisfactory compliance of their sanitary conditions as well as scrutiny of their inventory after the expiry of suspension period. Among these 33 in Srinagar 24, Anantnag 6, and in Baramulla 3 Drug establishments have been allowed to operate.
With regard to confiscated drug items the report says that these items are lying with inspectorate staff and shall be destroyed in due course of time.
“In order to ensure that ‘no medicines and food items touched with flood water is provided to the consumers’ department is still in process of carrying out inspections of drug and food sales establishments in flood hit areas including far flung areas to achieve the goal,” reads the report.
Seeking report from the Deputy Controller Drug, Jammu regarding the issue, the report says that various communication from Jammu addressed to the Controller wherein it has been stated that no stock of drugs and food items have been found available in the market that have been rendered unfit for human consumption due to recent floods.
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