FSW of D&FCO issues prohibition orders to five butchers for Violating FSS Rules & Regulations

SRINAGAR: Ensuring strong cognizance of the Hygiene and Sanitary violations by the Retail Meat Shops, the Food Safety Wing (FSW) of the Drugs and Food Control Organization (D&FCO), J&K has taken strict action against 05 fresh meat sellers who were found keeping carcasses of meat hanging outside the shops at Hazooribagh and Nowgam by issuance of prohibition orders by Designated Officer in District Srinagar.

These Butchers were found repetitive offenders violating the FSS Rules and Regulations, despite being given warnings and sufficient time period in previous inspection drives. Under these orders, the sale and slaughtering activities within their shops have been prohibited until further notice. Meanwhile, the Commissioner, Food & Drugs Administration, Smita Sethi, chaired a meeting with the Kashmir Butchers Association, led by its President, Khazir Mohammad Regoo, along with other office bearers.

The association members were briefed about the issues at hand which mainly related to sanitary and Hygienic conditions to be followed by the retrial meat shops as mandated under Schedule IV of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses), Regulations 2011.

During the meeting, the Association also submitted their representation of the issues faced by them and they requested the authorities to grant an additional grace period of 15-day to implement all hygienic and sanitary requirements mandated under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 which was granted on the condition that, upon its expiry, strict action shall be initiated against any defaulters as per the relevant provisions of the FSS Act which may include suspension and cancellation of licenses other than penal action as per the Act.