Dehradun/Lucknow.
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 UP CM in this initiative Uttarakhand Chief Minister, who has also voiced strong concerns about religious conversions, land encroachments, and practices he described as “thook (spit) jihad” in the state of Uttarakhand.
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.
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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”.
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.
The ordinances are designed to prevent anti-social elements from engaging in activities that involve contaminating food or beverages while concealing their identity.
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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.
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.
