Open house: Should Food Safety Dept adopt tougher penalties or focus on awareness & improvement?

Reform first, strict action later

The recent inspections conducted by the Food Safety Department across grocery shops, fast food outlets, departmental stores and dairy units highlight a critical public health concern. Ensuring cleanliness, proper storage conditions and hygienic handling of food is not optional, but a fundamental responsibility of the food business operators. Unhygienic practices at such establishments can contribute to the spread of diseases and endanger communities. Shopkeepers must maintain high standards of sanitation and comply with the safety norms. When it comes to repeat violators, authorities should initially focus on awareness, guidance and corrective measures to help the businesses improve their practices. However, if the violations persist despite warnings, strict penalties must be imposed to deter negligence and protect consumers. At the same time, consumers should remain vigilant. They should check the quality, manufacturing date and expiry date before purchasing food items.

Novin Christopher

Establish rating system for outlets

The health risks posed by microbial pathogens and potentially hazardous chemicals in food items are raising increasing concerns among the people. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was established to enforce strict licensing rules and hygiene standards, and conduct inspections to ensure compliance with norms. FSSAI, through state authorities, conducts random sampling of food products and if the samples fall short of the prescribed standards, penal action is initiated against the food business operators concerned. While awareness and improvement are crucial, tougher penalties can be a stronger deterrent. Stricter actions include heavier fines for non-compliance, temporary shutdowns, mandatory training for food handlers, regular and unannounced inspections, and public disclosure of violators. A rating system for food establishments based on hygiene checks should be established, enabling the consumers to make informed choices. Food packets should be checked for batch numbers, manufacturing and expiry dates, and nutritional values.

RS Sembhi

Surprise sampling, awareness must

Food adulteration is being done on a high level and people are the ones who suffer. Adulteration stops briefly when the Food Safety Department cracks the whip, only to return in some time. Along with consistent surprise inspections, the Food Safety Department should run a campaign to aware the public on how to check adulteration and file complaints against the violators.

Sucha Singh Sagar Bullowal

Must protect young population

Nearly 65% of the country’s population is below the age of 35, making India one of the youngest nations in the world. A country with such a vast youth population has immense human resource potential that should be nurtured consciously and protected through sound public health systems. It means that food safety is not merely a regulatory concern, but a national priority. In recent years, the FSSAI has intensified inspections and sample collection drives to monitor hygiene standards and detect adulteration, if any. There is a high instance of food adulteration and regulatory violations, sometimes backed by corrupt practices such as bribery. It poses serious threats to public health. Such violations must not be taken lightly and strict enforcement measures — including heavy monetary penalties and imprisonment, where necessary — should be implemented to deter offenders. Regular and surprise inspections are needed to ensure strict compliance at large corporations. At the same time, equal attention must be given to local vendors and small businesses. Training initiatives, like Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC), should be expanded to reach grassroots food handlers.

Gurdiksha Kaur

Tiered penalty system needed

Repeated violations of food hygiene should be addressed with a tiered penalty system and obligatory corrective training. Authorities should implement escalating punishments for persistent violators, such as greater fines, temporary license suspensions and public information after multiple offenses. This can serve as a powerful deterrent and signal that neglect will not be tolerated. Rather than just punishing violators, authorities should mandate that they attend safety training sessions and undergo further inspections. Many small vendors lack technical skills and systematic training can help them ensure long-term compliance. This balanced strategy, which combines strong enforcement with capacity building, will protect public health and also assist businesses in implementing sustainable hygiene standards.

Tamanpreet Kaur Khangura

Situation worsens in festive season

People are likely to fall sick if the food they consume is not pure or prepared in unhygienic conditions. People spend money to enjoy, not to fall sick. A lot of adulterated food is available in the market, especially during the festival season. So, safety inspections and sampling must be conducted more vigorously. The food department must ensure that the food being sold in the markets is of good quality. More food testing facilities must be established. Repeat violators do not feel for the buyers and just wish to make more money. Tough penalties like hefty fines and cancellation of licences must be imposed.

Gautam Dev

Testing results are too delayed

Any policy, rule or action should be centred around the interests of consumers. If the authorities can’t stop adulterated, unhealthy and contaminated food from reaching the consumers, the whole exercise is futile. We often come across news of raids and sample collections at eateries or sweetmeat shops, but rarely see news about the final outcomes. This exercise happens a few days before any festival and by the time results come, the rest of the food is already sold and consumed. There has to be a system to inspect food standards in real time. If the samples are found unfit, the name and details of the outlets concerned should be publicised and their licences cancelled, along with actions like fine and imprisonment. It should be treated at par with attempted murder. However, this is a tall order. As things stand, raising awareness among consumers is a must. The consumers should learn the basics of checking the purity of the eatables and do so before purchasing and consuming them.

Ravinder Mittal

Educate businesses to help them do better

Many small businesses operate on thin margins. A vendor might be a repeat violator not out of malice, but because they lack proper refrigeration equipment, can’t afford pest control or do not understand the science behind cross-contamination. The best way is to educate them. If a vendor learns why raw chicken can’t be stored above ready-to-eat salads, they are more likely to change their habits permanently, as opposed to being simply fined. The local administration must issue formal notices that document the issue and explain how to fix them. Inspectors, acting as consultants, should help businesses come up with a practical food safety plan. Punishment should come only when a business owner knows the rules and chooses to ignore them. In those cases, leniency can set a dangerous precedent. If the penalty for poisoning a customer is simply a class and a small fine, there is no incentive for businesses to invest in cleanliness. If a restaurant gets away with roaches, the clean restaurant next door suffers financially and may cut corners to compete. Monetary penalties should increase with each repeat offence and all stakeholders must cooperate with each other for proper outcomes.

Mohammad Saleem Farooqui

Adopt a balanced approach

The Food Safety Department’s efforts are in the right direction as strict action against violators is essential to send a strong message to anyone and everyone who may consider compromising with someone’s health. Fines and penalties should be heavy enough to bring the violators to task. A balanced approach is the need of the hour. We can prevent adulteration only through awareness and education. Educating businesses and the public about food safety standards and need for accountability can go a long way in curbing the menace. The most vulnerable section, the student community, should be educated about food adulteration and impurity through seminars and workshops. The onus is on the Food Safety Department as it can protect public health using a carrot or stick approach.

Aftab Fateh Singh Bains

Punishment alone won’t help

Punishment alone won’t solve the problem. Many inspectors and officials say that simply penalising businesses without any guidance does little to improve the long-term situation. Training food handlers, running awareness programmes, like Eat Right India, and giving violators a clear path to improve practices can help build a safe culture. A balanced approach is the best: Strict penalties to deter wilful violations, and supportive reform and education to help businesses meet the prescribed standards. This ensures health risks are minimised while encouraging compliance in the long run.

Vidhya Rajpurohit

Close down habitual offenders

The establishments of those who violate rules must be shut down temporarily and even permanently in cases of gross negligence. Publishing inspection results online, like colour cards or scorecard systems, helps the consumers make informed choices. The best strategy is a risk-based tiered system that uses supportive reform, followed by strict punishment, if needed. The food safety inspector must explain the violation, provide literature and set a deadline for corrective steps to be taken. A small fine should be issued alongside a mandatory training session. The fine funds the enforcement system and the training fixes the knowledge gap. If a business repeatedly fails to maintain hygiene, it becomes a grave public health threat and the authorities should adopt a tough stance. If the focus is only on awareness, repeat violators believe there are no consequences and public safety is jeopardised. If the focus is on tough penalties, it criminalises poverty and ignorance, potentially driving businesses under the ground without actually fixing the underlying issue.

Farzana Khan

Cancel licences of repeat violators

Amid increasing workloads leading to busy schedules, people prefer to buy food from the market instead of cooking at home. However, if the food they purchase is not hygienic and safe, it can affect their health. Repeat violators of food safety rules should not be treated lightly as public health is crucial. The authorities should issue warnings and give proper guidance to first-time offenders. Many small vendors do not fully understand hygiene standards, and training and clear instructions can help them improve the situation. However, if the same vendors continue to ignore the rules even after warnings, strict punishment is necessary. Heavy fines and temporary closures should be imposed, followed by cancellation of licences, if needed.

Simranjeet Kaur

Focus on reform for first-time offenders

The authorities should adopt a balanced approach when dealing with hygiene violations. For first-time or minor offenders, the focus should be on supportive reform, such as awareness programmes, training, fresh guidelines and time-bound notices. Many small food operators violate rules due to lack of knowledge, and because of malicious intent. Thus, education can lead to lasting improvement. However, repeat violators pose a serious risk to public health. When warnings and trainings fail, strict punishment becomes necessary. Hefty fines, licence suspension and permanent closure in extreme cases should be enforced. This protects consumers and sends a strong message that negligence will not be tolerated. An escalation-based system works best: Educate first, warn next, penalise later and shut shop as a last resort. Combining awareness with accountability ensures fairness, encourages compliance and helps build a safe culture of food safety.

Veerpal Kaur

Issue explained

On one hand, tough penalties act as a deterrent, signalling zero tolerance for negligence that endangers public health. But on the other, supportive reform recognises that many violations stem from lack of awareness or inadequate resources, especially among small vendors. Training programmes, hygiene workshops and infrastructural support can ensure long-term compliance by fostering better habits, rather than fear-driven behaviour. A balanced approach is often the most effective: Initial lapses can be addressed through warnings, education and capacity building, and repeat or deliberate violations warrant escalating penalties.

QUESTION for next week

Daily checks, fines and cleanliness drives are being introduced to tackle the garbage woes in cities. But will these enforcement measures alone bring lasting change, or do we need deeper

reforms in citizen behaviour and municipal systems?

Suggestions in not more than 150 words can be sent to ludhianadesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (March 5).