Rotten Meat Mafia Busted: Meals Authority Seizes 3,500 kg Of Rotten Mutton Throughout Kashmir | India Information
Kashmir is one in all India’s highest mutton-consuming areas, with estimates suggesting an annual import of 60,000 tonnes of mutton. However the current stunning incidents of rotten mutton seizures, over 3,500 kg two days again, have highlighted vulnerabilities within the provide chain and created considerations amongst customers and authorities.
Two days in the past, over 500 kg of rotten mutton supposed for distribution to eating places and resorts was confiscated in a single raid by the Meals and Medication Administration (FDA) in Jammu and Kashmir. The meat had been saved with out correct refrigeration or labeling, elevating considerations about its security and origin.
In a second raid, roughly 2,500 kebabs processed with frozen meat and unpermitted meals coloring have been seized and destroyed on-site. Moreover, 150 kg of meatballs (Gushtaba) have been confiscated as a result of improper storage and adulteration considerations.
Following this, authorities destroyed 250 kg of visibly deteriorated meat present in substandard storage situations. Two meals enterprise operators in Ganderbal had their premises sealed for violating hygiene and storage laws.
Amid a crackdown on unsafe meat provide by the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) in Jammu and Kashmir, an enormous quantity of rotten meat—estimated at 600-800 kg—was discovered dumped alongside roads and water our bodies, presumably in an try by suppliers to evade detection. Further piles of 600 kg every have been present in Khande Colony, Nowgam, and one other location close by. In a associated incident, 350 kg of suspicious meat, in an identical situation because the meat recovered earlier, was discovered dumped alongside the highway, indicating rising panic amongst unlawful suppliers.
Earlier on July 31, 1,200 kg of rotten and unhygienic packaged mutton was seized from Sunshine Meals, a dealer now dealing with authorized motion below the Meals Security and Requirements Act and prices for adulteration at Zakura Police Station. The seizure of hundreds of kilograms of rotten mutton has created panic in all corners of Kashmir, among the many frequent folks, well being specialists, spiritual leaders, and authorities.
The seized meat was typically decomposed, packed with out identification, and saved with out cold-chain logistics, rendering it unfit for consumption. FDA Commissioner Smiti Sethi mentioned that some packages have been too foul-smelling to open, highlighting the extreme public well being dangers posed by potential foodborne diseases.
The Grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, issued a fatwa in August prohibiting the consumption of this mutton as haram (forbidden), together with merchandise produced from it comparable to momos, kebabs, and frozen meat of unsure origin. This was prompted by considerations over whether or not the meat met halal requirements, a vital situation within the Muslim-majority area.
A lot of the rotten meat was imported from states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab, coming into Kashmir by means of checkpoints like Lakhanpur and Qazigund with out sufficient inspection. The dearth of correct refrigeration throughout transport and storage has been a recurring drawback, permitting meat to spoil earlier than reaching markets.
The seizures have sparked widespread concern amongst Kashmiris, with rising calls for for accountability, enhanced border inspections and a clear probe into the provision chain.
Because the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) intensified raids, suppliers started dumping unlabeled meat in open areas, water our bodies, and nallahs (drains) to keep away from detection, additional endangering public well being and the setting. The FDA, below Commissioner Smiti Sethi, has launched a full-fledged investigation to hint the provision chain—from slaughterhouses outdoors Kashmir to native distributors. The company is coordinating with the Jammu and Kashmir Police to determine the culprits and has promised stricter laws, together with necessary labeling and supply disclosure for meat imports.
A case has been registered in opposition to Sunshine Meals below Sections 271, 275, and 61(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Additional authorized actions are deliberate because the investigation progresses.
Dieticians and well being specialists have suggested customers to keep away from consuming meat at eateries till the provision chain is verified as protected. The FDA has vowed to proceed its crackdown, with plans to seal non-compliant meals enterprise operators and implement stricter compliance with the Meals Security and Requirements Act.
The administration can also be exploring coordinated efforts with the Crime Department and Anti-Corruption Bureau to dismantle the “rotten meat mafia.”
