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Srinagar, November 24 (IANS) Twelve members of a family were found unconscious in a village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Monday morning.
Police said that 12 members of the same family were found unconscious in Naugam village of Kupwara district in the morning.
“He was initially taken to the nearest medical facility from where doctors referred him to the Government Medical College (GMC), Handwara for treatment.
“Doctors at GMC Handwara said the 12 referred patients are responding to treatment and their condition is stable,” police said.
Officials said that initial reports suggest that it is a case of food poisoning.
Consumption of unsafe food is often found to be the cause of food poisoning in the valley. Since it is the wedding season in the rural areas of the valley, poorly cooked or stale food often causes food poisoning in rural areas.
It is still unclear whether the affected family ate some of the treats at a wedding party or consumed stale food they cooked themselves.
However, the medical report on the cause of the disease will clear up the confusion surrounding the matter.
It must be remembered that in the middle of this year a massive unsafe food racket had hit Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the seizure of over 11,600 kg of decomposed meat, adulterated cheese and other unhealthy products. The scandal has seriously damaged public trust and the local food industry.
Authorities seized thousands of kilograms of rotten and unlabeled mutton, chicken and fish. Often the meat imported from outside the Union Territory was allegedly from sick or dead animals, which were frozen and shipped to Srinagar at artificially low prices.
The action also revealed other forms of food adulteration, including fake rasgullas and fake cheese made with “foreign fat” and kebabs and rista made with synthetic food colours, mustard oil and low quality rice.
The abolition of Lakhanpur toll tax in 2020 was cited by industry insiders as a factor that reduced the uncontrolled flow of cheap, non-branded and unhealthy imports.
Lack of proper cold chain monitoring and testing facilities at entry points allowed substandard products to enter the market.
Health experts have linked the consumption of such adulterated food to various diseases including food poisoning and other serious illnesses, with some claiming that carcinogenic chemicals such as formaldehyde were used to extend shelf life.
The Jammu and Kashmir government and the Food Safety Department initiated comprehensive action and high-level meetings were held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to deal with the crisis.
Several raids were conducted across the Union Territory, resulting in the recovery of large quantities of unsafe food products. Several persons were identified as prime suspects, and several First Information Reports were filed against the violators, including the operator of Sunshine Foods in Jakura, Srinagar.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned of strict penalties for non-compliant businesses, including a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh and imprisonment of up to six years.
The licenses of nine establishments, including Domino’s Pizza franchises and several local shops, were suspended.
The government announced plans for a multi-pronged strategy to ensure food safety, including mandatory testing laboratories and food safety check posts at Lakhanpur and Qazigund to inspect incoming perishable commodities. Formation of ‘flying squad’ for surprise inspection. Ban on unbranded frozen meat and chicken.
–IANS
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