Panchkula, Oct. 3 -- Despite a growing population of nearly 6.5 lakh and thousands of daily transactions involving sweets, bakery items, and other food products, the Panchkula district food safety department is facing strong criticism for a surprisingly low number of raids and inspections. This inadequate enforcement becomes especially concerning during the festive season, when the risk of unsafe or substandard food flooding the market increases sharply. Official data reveals a striking lack of legal action, with only 11 cases under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) reaching a local court over the past six years-averaging just two to three criminal cases annually.

With thousands of shops selling sweets, bakery items and other food...