Ensuring food safety and preserving public trust, Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced his plans to back his directives with new laws that cannot be halted by the judiciary in the future. This comes in the wake of a Supreme Court stay on the UP government’s directive during the Kanwar Yatra, which required eateries along the Kanwariya pilgrim route to display the names of their owners and staff. Joining Yogi Adityanath in this initiative is Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who has also voiced strong concerns about religious conversions, land encroachments, and practices he described as “thook (spit) jihad” in the state of Uttarakhand.
Dhami made his stance clear on October 13, stating, “Religious conversion, encroachment, land jihad, and thook jihad will not be allowed in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand.” His remarks came during a felicitation ceremony in Kichha, Udham Singh Nagar district. Dhami emphasised that the state, known as Devbhoomi, would not tolerate such activities, and he called upon the educated class to take a stand against these societal wrongs. “Educated people should come forward to stop bad things in society. Whatever is wrong will not be tolerated, and this will not be tolerated in Uttarakhand at any cost,” Dhami added.
Back in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath’s administration had initially issued the directive for eateries along the Kanwariya route in July. However, the Supreme Court stayed the order. Undeterred, the UP government issued another directive on September 24, mandating all food outlets across the state to prominently display the names and addresses of their operators, proprietors, and managers. This was in response to a series of food contamination incidents reported in the state over the past few months.
Addressing these issues, CM Yogi underscored the necessity of amending existing food safety laws if required to implement such orders. He said, “Recent incidents involving contamination of food items such as juice, lentils, and bread with human waste or other dirty substances have been disturbing and adversely affect public health. These incidents also harm social harmony and are utterly unacceptable.”
खाद्य एवं पेय पदार्थों में अखाद्य और गंदी चीजों की मिलावट असभ्य और अमानवीय आचरण है।
ऐसे वीभत्स, स्वास्थ्य पर प्रतिकूल प्रभाव डालने और सामाजिक सौहार्द को बिगाड़ने वाले कुत्सित कृत्यों को कतई स्वीकार नहीं किया जा सकता है।
खाद्य पदार्थों की पवित्रता सुनिश्चित करने और सार्वजनिक…
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) October 15, 2024
In line with his strong stance, CM Yogi has called for a high-level meeting with senior administrative officers from multiple departments, including Home, Food, Civil Supplies, and Law, to discuss the legal framework required to prevent food tampering and contamination.
Two new ordinances are set to be discussed during the meeting: the “Prevention of Pseudo and Anti-Harmony Activities and Prohibition of Spitting Ordinance 2024” and the “Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Contamination in Food (Consumer Right to Know) Ordinance 2024.” These ordinances will impose strict penalties on individuals engaging in food tampering, such as spitting or other unhygienic practices, and will enforce transparency in food preparation and handling. This level of transparency, previously mandated only for packaged food items under the Consumer Protection Act 2019, will now extend to all food sellers, ensuring consumers are aware of how their food is prepared.
CM Yogi voiced his strong disapproval of such practices, describing them as a “breach of public trust.” He also reiterated his previous directives that chefs and waiters must wear masks and gloves, and that CCTV cameras should be installed in food establishments. The Chief Minister emphasised, “Given the importance of ensuring the purity of food products and maintaining public confidence in food safety, it is necessary to create a strict law. This law will apply to activities related to hotels, restaurants, dhabas, and street vendors. Violators of the law should face imprisonment and fines, and these offenses should be treated as cognisable and non-bailable.”
The ordinances are designed to prevent anti-social elements from engaging in activities that involve contaminating food or beverages while concealing their identity. Yogi Adityanath made it clear that every consumer has the right to essential information about food sellers, saying, “Sellers should be required to display signboards at their establishments, and all personnel working at food establishments must carry identification cards. Severe penalties should be in place for those using false names or providing incorrect information.”
Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also taken a firm stance on these issues, stating that the government is taking tough yet necessary decisions. Citing the introduction of the anti-copying law, the anti-riot law, and the impending implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Dhami highlighted his government’s commitment to preserving social harmony. “The people of Uttarakhand have given a mandate to this government for the UCC, and it will become the first state to implement it in independent India,” he said.
किसी भी पेय अथवा खाद्य पदार्थ में थूकने जैसे दुष्कृत्य करने वालों के लिए देवभूमि उत्तराखंड में कोई स्थान नहीं है, प्रदेशवासियों के स्वास्थ्य व जनभावनाओं को ध्यान में रखते हुए ये निर्देश दिए हैं कि यदि कोई इस तरह का कुकृत्य करते हुए पाया जाएगा तो उसके ख़िलाफ़ कठोर कार्रवाई की… pic.twitter.com/adkqcRSCFT
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) October 15, 2024
Dhami’s remarks were also prompted by a recent incident in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, where two brothers, Naushad Ali and Hasan Ali, were arrested for allegedly spitting in a tea pot and serving the tea to customers. Such incidents, according to both Yogi and Dhami, undermine public trust and the social fabric of their states, necessitating swift and decisive action.
As both chief ministers push for stricter laws and transparency in food handling, the focus remains on ensuring public health, restoring faith in food safety, and preserving the harmony of their respective states.
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