The Food Safety Department on Monday launched an inquiry into complaints of allegedly substandard wheat flour being distributed through government sale centres in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, collecting samples for laboratory testing and seizing the available stock pending the results.
A team of Food Safety officials inspected several government sale centres across the district and lifted legal samples of wheat flour to assess whether the stock complies with the quality and safety standards prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
The action followed complaints from consumers, particularly in Lar and adjoining areas, who alleged that the wheat flour supplied through the public distribution system was of poor quality, unhygienic and unfit for consumption.
Residents demanded an immediate inquiry into the quality of the flour and sought strict action against the supplying flour mill, including its blacklisting if any irregularities are established.
“We rely heavily on government sale centres for our basic food supplies. The recent batch of flour was of such inferior quality that it raised health concerns. Authorities must ensure proper quality checks before distributing food to the public,” said Abdul Rashid, a resident of Wakura.
Residents said food grains supplied through government outlets should be thoroughly examined to ensure they meet prescribed standards and do not pose a risk to public health.
They urged the authorities to expedite the inquiry and ensure that only safe and standard-quality wheat flour and other food grains are distributed through government sale centres.
Responding to the complaints, officials from the Food Safety Department, accompanied by personnel from the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department, inspected several sale outlets across the district. Legal samples were collected as per standard operating procedures and sent to an accredited food testing laboratory for detailed analysis.
Food Safety Officer Ganderbal Sheikh Abbas said inspections were conducted at all outlets from where complaints had been received and samples had been collected for testing.
“Further action will be taken after the laboratory reports are received,” Abbas said.
He said the department has also seized the flour stock available at the inspected outlets until the test reports are received.
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