In view of the upcoming festival season, the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, through the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), has stepped up statewide food safety enforcement to ensure the availability of safe, wholesome and hygienic food products for consumers.Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said food safety remained a top priority for the state, particularly during the festive period, when demand for sweets, dairy products and bakery items surges significantly.Dr Balbir Singh urged all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to strictly comply with statutory food safety regulations and adopt fair, responsible and hygienic practices.He directed FBOs to ensure the proper sourcing and handling of raw materials, maintain sanitary conditions during preparation, and strictly refrain from adulteration or substandard practices that could jeopardise public health.He warned that any compromise on food quality would invite stringent legal action under the Food Safety and Standards Act.Giving details of the enforcement measures, Commissioner, FDA Punjab, Kanwalpreet Brar said a series of targeted drives had been launched across the state.On September 12 and 13, a statewide drive targeting paneer and khoa was conducted, during which 216 samples were collected and sent to the State Food Laboratory for detailed testing.Appropriate legal action will be initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act and Rules once the analysis reports are received.Continuing the crackdown, the commissioner said FDA teams conducted a specialised inspection campaign on September 19 and 20 across sweet and bakery manufacturing units to assess compliance with sanitary and hygiene standards.Of the 250 inspections carried out across Punjab, 101 improvement notices were served on operators found to be non-compliant, while 20 challans were issued on the spot for violations, she said.Commissioner Kanwalpreet Brar affirmed that intensive monitoring, surveillance and surprise checks would continue throughout the festive season. She advised all food establishments to proactively comply with statutory hygiene requirements.The Health Department and FDA Punjab also appealed to citizens to remain alert, make informed purchases, and procure sweets, dairy products and bakery items only from reliable and compliant food establishments.