Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Ashok Kumar Sharma today chaired a meeting of the District Level Advisory Committee (DLAC) on Food Safety and Healthy Diets to review and strengthen the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) 2006 in the district.
The meeting discussed at length the enforcement, inspection, and lifting of food item samples, besides deliberating on the implementation of the ‘Eat Right Movement’, availability of fresh fruits and vegetables in the market and the functioning of Food Safety on Wheels.
The Deputy Commissioner underscored the importance of ensuring availability of safe, hygienic and nutritious food for all citizens, emphasizing that proactive food safety measures are crucial to safeguard public health and consumer confidence.
The DC issued strict directions to the concerned departments for effective enforcement of food safety norms. He instructed the Assistant Commissioner Food safety to raise awareness among shopkeepers and street vendors (reriwalas) regarding proper billing and hygiene practices.
The DC also directed the ACF to organize awareness camps, distribute pamphlets on safe eating practices, and share informative videos highlighting the benefits of the Eat Right campaign. Strict action was ordered against defaulters, with the DC directing cancellation of licenses of erring shopkeepers.
He further instructed the preparation of a market inspection roster to ensure regular checking of food items in dhabas, restaurants, cafés, bakeries and emphasized that all religious places serving food must be registered under the Food Safety Act.
The Deputy Commissioner also directed the concerned officers to ensure that tobacco, cigarettes, and other harmful substances are not sold near educational institutions. He further instructed teams to inspect hostels and educational institution kitchens to ensure proper food quality and hygiene standards.
The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Tahir Mustafa Malik; GM DIC/PO ICDS Poonch, Khalid Hussain Wafa; Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Parvaiz Ahmed Khan; Chief Agriculture Officer, Yog Raj Salathia, Assistant Commissioner Food Safety Poonch, Tariq Mehmood and other concerned officers and officials.