Shimla/Manali: The very department meant to ensure safe food for the public has itself been caught with its hands in the till.

The Himachal Pradesh Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has arrested a female Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety, along with two others for allegedly demanding a bribe from a hotelier in Manali.

The trio had taken food samples from the hotel a few days ago, threatened to book him for violations, and then demanded money to close the case.

On the complaint, a trap was laid, and the officers were caught red-handed with ₹1.10 lakh in cash at their office today.

But this case is just the tip of the iceberg. It has exposed deep-rooted corruption in the Food Safety, Regulation and Health Department, where officers who are supposed to check adulteration in hotels, restaurants, and shops are either turning a blind eye or collecting bribes to let violators go scot-free.

Rotten Food, Rotten System

Food Safety Officers (FSOs) are failing in their most basic duties—random checking of essentials like milk, bread, butter, and paneer,  fruits remains a mere formality, and no strict action is ever taken.

The consumers alleged big stores in Shimla, like GMHR and Diamond (New Shimla), openly showcase to  sell rotten fruits to consumers, overcharge, and even force customers to pay ₹10 for a carry bag, violating consumer protection laws.

Complaints against them are piling up, but FSOs conveniently look the other way.

In areas like New Shimla, Sanjauli, and others, vegetable and fruit vendors do not even display daily price lists, leading to arbitrary pricing and fleecing of consumers—all happening under the nose of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and FSOs, who seem to have failed in  enforcing the law.

Adulteration Racket Flourishing in Himachal

This scandal has once again put the spotlight on the Food Safety Department’s complete failure in tackling food adulteration.

From restaurants serving stale, unhygienic food to dairy and grocery stores selling chemically-treated products, no real checks are happening on the ground.

The Food Safety Commissioner and FSOs are rarely seen inspecting local markets, instead preferring to spend time in select ‘friendly’ shops or at leisure, while substandard and even dangerous food continues to be sold freely across the state.

Who Will Act?

This arrest raises serious questions:

• How many more such corrupt officers are thriving in the system?
• Why is the Director, Food Safety allowing this to happen?
• What action will be taken against FSOs who are not doing their jobs?
• Will the DCs in districts take responsibility for failing to conatrol food price manipulation and adulteration?

The Vigilance Bureau’s action is a welcome step, but it is not enough. If the government is serious about protecting consumers, it must launch a full-scale probe into the Food Safety Department’s operations across Himachal Pradesh.

Otherwise, this racket of bribes, unchecked adulteration, and public health risks will continue to thrive, while citizens keep consuming unsafe food, completely at the mercy of corrupt officials.