Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena directed the administration to adopt a “zero tolerance” approach towards violations and ensure that food sold or served in Ladakh meets statutory safety and quality standards.
The directive covers nearly 8,800 Food Business Operators (FBOs) registered with the Food Safety Department. These include restaurants, hotels, eateries, food manufacturers, processors, distributors, retailers and other businesses involved in the food supply chain.
According to the administration, Ladakh currently has 428 FSSAI licence holders and 8,355 FSSAI registration holders.
The UT Administration has directed all FBOs to comply strictly with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and ensure that food manufactured, processed, stored, transported, distributed or sold in Ladakh is safe and meets prescribed standards.
READ: New Era for Indian Esports as Ashish Shelar Elected ESGF President
“Food safety is not merely a regulatory requirement; it is a fundamental responsibility towards the health and well-being of every citizen,” Saxena said.
“Every Food Business Operator must ensure that the food served to our people is safe, hygienic and of the prescribed standard. There will be zero tolerance for any such violations that put public health at risk. At the same time, our enforcement will remain fair, transparent and firmly grounded in law,” he said.
The administration has specifically prohibited food businesses from manufacturing, storing or selling food that is unsafe, sub-standard, misbranded, adulterated, contaminated or past its expiry date.
Zero tolerance against food safety violations is now the new standard in Ladakh!
Have ordered a strict enforcement of food safety norms across Ladakh, ensuring that Food Business Operator, including restaurants, hotels and eateries refrain from any food safety violation that… pic.twitter.com/bvPBQbhL4a
— LG Ladakh (@lg_ladakh) August 28, 2026
What food businesses must ensure
All FBOs must hold a valid FSSAI licence or registration and display the certificate prominently at their premises. They have also been directed to maintain prescribed hygiene and sanitation standards, ensure personal hygiene among food handlers and prevent cross-contamination.
Businesses must use potable water, maintain appropriate temperatures and cold-chain conditions where required, dispose of waste properly, undertake pest control and use food-grade equipment, utensils and packaging.
Food-contact surfaces and equipment must be cleaned and sanitised regularly, while raw food must be kept separate from cooked and ready-to-eat products.
Operators must maintain relevant records, source ingredients from legitimate suppliers and, where applicable, implement a Food Safety Management System.
The administration has also directed food businesses to ensure that handlers receive appropriate food-safety training and that people suffering from illnesses that could compromise food safety are not engaged in food-handling activities.
Food must be stored in conditions that prevent contamination, deterioration and infestation. Businesses must maintain proper stock rotation and ensure that expired, spoiled or unsafe products are neither stored nor sold.
Pre-packaged food must comply with labelling requirements, while misleading or deceptive claims in advertisements and declarations have been prohibited.
Food businesses have also been directed to cooperate with Food Safety Officers during inspections, sampling, surveillance and enforcement operations.
Penalties for violations
The administration has warned that violations can result in substantial financial penalties and, in serious cases, criminal prosecution.
- Food not matching the nature, substance or quality demanded: Fine up to ₹5 lakh.
- Sub-standard food: Fine up to ₹5 lakh.
- Misbranded food: Fine up to ₹3 lakh, along with corrective action or destruction where applicable.
- Misleading advertisements: Fine up to ₹10 lakh.
- Food containing extraneous matter: Fine up to ₹1 lakh.
- Failure to comply with a Food Safety Officer’s directions: Fine up to ₹2 lakh.
- Unhygienic or unsanitary processing or manufacturing: Fine up to ₹1 lakh.
- Possession of adulterants: Fine up to ₹2 lakh where the adulterant is not injurious to health and up to ₹10 lakh where it is injurious.
- Other violations without a specific penalty: Fine up to ₹2 lakh.
- Manufacturing, storing, selling or distributing unsafe food: Imprisonment and fine, depending on whether the violation causes injury, grievous injury or death.
- Interfering with seized food or articles: Imprisonment of up to six months and fine up to ₹2 lakh.
- Furnishing false information: Fine up to ₹10 lakh.
- Obstructing, impersonating, threatening or assaulting a Food Safety Officer: Imprisonment of up to three months and fine up to ₹1 lakh.
- Running a food business without the required licence: Fine up to ₹10 lakh.
Enforcement to be stepped up
The Food Safety Department has been directed to intensify inspections, sampling and testing of food products across Ladakh.
Officials have also been authorised to seize or detain food articles, prohibit the sale or distribution of unsafe products and suspend or cancel licences wherever permitted under law.
The administration said the measures are intended to ensure that food safety standards are followed consistently across the Union Territory and that violations posing a risk to public health are dealt with firmly.
