Residents seek strict action against dealers procuring rotten meat products
Srinagar: The recovery of thousands of kilograms of adulterated and rotten meat in the past few days has triggered alarm across Kashmir, with residents urging authorities to launch a sustained crackdown on restaurants, dhabas, and other food outlets to ensure public safety.
Locals said the issue is not new, but the scale of recent seizures highlights the gravity of the problem. They fear that a large amount of such meat and food products might have already made their way into kitchens and eateries.
“We read about huge quantities of rotten or chemically treated meat being seized, but what about the stock that goes unchecked? That’s what is frightening,” said Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar’s downtown area. “Our health is at stake, and we expect the Food Safety Department to take daily action, not just occasional raids.”
Over the past week, enforcement teams have recovered several consignments of stale and adulterated meat, some stored in unhygienic conditions or treated with harmful substances to improve appearance and delay spoilage.
“The recovery of such huge quantities in just a few days means the network is vast,” said Shabir Hussain, a shopkeeper in Pulwama. “It is not enough to seize and destroy the meat. The people behind this must face strict legal action so that others think twice before indulging in such practices.”
Hoteliers across Kashmir said their sales have gone down due to the recent incidents. They cautioned against unfair targeting. “If someone is doing anything wrong, people look with doubtful eyes towards everyone. Proper monitoring is necessary, but those who are following all protocols shouldn’t be made scapegoats,” one hotelier said.
Health experts warn that consumption of adulterated meat can lead to a host of serious illnesses.
Dr. Sameer Ahmad Dar, a public health specialist, speaking to KNO, said contaminated or chemically treated meat can cause severe food poisoning, diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever in the short term. In the long run, it increases the risk of liver damage, kidney problems, typhoid, parasitic infections, and in some cases even cancer, he said.
“The immune-compromised, elderly, and children are especially vulnerable,” Dr Dar added.
Residents allege that many restaurants, roadside dhabas, and barbecue stalls buy cheaper meat of dubious quality to maximise profits. “Some outlets serve meat that is days old and kept in poor storage conditions. The taste is different, but not everyone notices until they fall ill,” said Irshad Ahmad, who eats outside frequently.
Public health activists said there is an urgent need for consistent and transparent food safety inspections. “Authorities should not only check slaughterhouses but also randomly inspect restaurants, dhabas, marriage halls, and street vendors,” said advocate Bilal Lone. “The results of these inspections should be made public so people know which outlets maintain hygiene and which don’t.”
A senior Food Safety official said intensified drives are underway. “We are carrying out raids in multiple districts. Any adulterated or unhygienic meat is being seized and destroyed on the spot. We are also prosecuting the offenders under food safety laws,” the official said. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the operation was triggered by continuous tip-offs over time, enabling the department to piece together the supply chain.
The department said it is holding the names of all involved to avoid alerting the network, with Commissioner Smiti Sethi revealing that each raid leads to the next link in the chain.
Sethi said that upon taking charge, she began receiving scattered reports. “We traced the reports one by one and launched targeted raids,” she said.
The Commissioner said the raids, which began at a single location, have now expanded to multiple districts, including Ganderbal, Pulwama, Anantnag and Pampore and more.
“Each raid is taking us further up the chain. This is not an isolated incident but a continuing supply pattern we are uncovering,” she added.
On the delay in revealing names of those involved, Sethi clarified it is a “deliberate strategic move”. “We are not hiding anything, but revealing names prematurely could alert others in the network. We want to catch them all,” she said.
She added that proper records are being maintained, and once the full network is exposed, names and actions taken under the FSSAI Act will be made public. “This is about ensuring accountability without giving anyone a chance to escape,” the Commissioner said.
The crackdown has also reached Jammu, where around 800 kg of meat and chicken were destroyed in a single raid on Thursday, she said.
The FDA has already seized and destroyed over 3,500 kilograms of decomposed and unlabelled meat, indicating the presence of a deeper, organised network.
Earlier, officials said the meat was being stored and transported without proper cold-chain logistics or labelling, which poses a serious threat to public health. (KNO)
