Srinagar, Nov 24 (IANS) As many as 12 members of a family were found unconscious on Monday morning in a village in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Kupwara district.

Police said that 12 members of a family were found unconscious in the morning in Nowgam village of Kupwara district.

“They were initially moved to a nearby medical facility from where the doctors referred them to government medical college (GMC) Handwara for treatment.

“Doctors at the GMC Handwara said the 12 patients referred are responding to treatment and their condition is stable”, police said.

Initial reports suggest that it is a case of food poisoning, officials added.

Consuming unsafe food is often found to be the cause of food poisoning in the Valley. As the marriage season is currently going on in the rural areas of the Valley, badly cooked or stale food is often the cause of food poisoning in the rural areas.

It is still not clear whether the affected family had eaten some feast at a marriage party or whether they consumed self-cooked stale food.

Medical reports on the cause of illness will, however, clear the confusion surrounding the case.

It must be recalled that J&K was rocked by a major unsafe food racket in the middle of this year leading to the seizure of over 11,600 kg of decomposed meat, adulterated cheese, and other unhygienic products. The scandal has severely damaged public trust and the local food industry.

Authorities seized thousands of kilograms of rotten and unlabeled mutton, chicken, and fish. The meat, often imported from outside the UT was allegedly from sick or dead animals, frozen and shipped to Srinagar at artificially low prices.

The crackdown also revealed other forms of food adulteration, including counterfeit rasgullas and fake cheese made with “foreign fats” and Kebabs and ristas made with synthetic food colours, mustard oil and low-quality rice.

The abolition of the Lakhanpur toll tax in 2020 was cited by industry insiders as a factor that eased the unchecked influx of cheap, unbranded, and unhygienic imports.

The lack of proper cold chain monitoring and testing facilities at entry points allowed substandard products to enter the market.

Health experts linked the consumption of such adulterated food to various ailments, including food poisoning and other serious diseases, with some claims that carcinogenic chemicals like formaldehyde were used to extend shelf life.

J&K government and the Food Safety Department initiated a widespread crackdown and high-level meetings were chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to address the crisis.

Numerous raids were conducted across the Union Territory, leading to significant seizures of unsafe food products. Several individuals were identified as key suspects, and multiple First Information Reports were registered against violators, including the operator of Sunshine Foods in Zakoora, Srinagar.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned of strict penalties for non-compliant businesses, including fines up to Rs 10 lakh and imprisonment for up to six years.

Licences of nine establishments, including a Domino’s Pizza franchise and several local outlets, 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 items. Formation of a ‘Flying Squad’ for surprise inspections. A ban on unbranded frozen meat and chicken.

–IANS

sq/rad