 Sandeep Bhat
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 7: The food safety crisis in Kashmir deepened on Wednesday as authorities seized two more consignments of rotten meat dumped on the outskirts of Srinagar, intensifying public concern over health risks and widespread violations of food safety regulations.
Officials said dozens of unclaimed packages of decayed meat and poultry were found abandoned in the Nowgam and Pampore areas—just days after over 1,200 kilograms of spoiled packaged mutton were confiscated from a cold storage facility in Srinagar’s Zakura Industrial Estate.
Following directives from the Secretary of the Health & Medical Education Department and under the supervision of the Commissioner, Food & Drugs Administration (FDA) J&K, the Food Safety Department has stepped up enforcement across the Valley.
In the past two days, surprise inspections and raids were carried out in multiple districts. In Srinagar’s Safakadal and Parimpora areas alone, enforcement teams destroyed nearly 2,500 kababs processed with frozen meat laced with non-permitted food colours. An additional 150 kilograms of meatballs (gushtaba) were also seized, with samples sent for laboratory testing.
In Ganderbal district, approximately 250 kilograms of spoiled meat were destroyed on-site due to unhygienic storage and handl Two more consignments of rotten meat dumped on the outskirts of Srinagar were recovered on Thursday.
These packets were seized just days after over 1,200 kilograms of spoiled packaged mutton was confiscated from a cold storage facility in Zakura.
In the past two days, surprise inspections and raids were carried out in multiple districts.
Officials said that in a desperate attempt to evade prosecution, some vendors have begun illegally dumping rotten meat at abandoned sites. Such cases were recently detected in Kakapora (Pulwama) and Khandey Colony (Nowgam, Srinagar).
The Food Safety Department has reiterated its zero-tolerance policy, warning all Food Business Operators (FBOs) of strict legal action for non-compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act. Authorities urged vendors dealing in high-risk food items to strictly follow hygiene standards, cold chain protocols, and proper labeling.
“The crackdown will continue. We urge the public to stay vigilant and report any suspected food safety violations via the toll-free helpline 104,” a senior official said.
Last week’s seizure from Sunshine Foods in Zakura exposed a major food safety lapse. The company is now facing criminal charges under IPC Sections 272 and 274 for food adulteration, along with prosecution under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
The widening scandal has drawn concern from civil society, with several groups and business associations demanding a comprehensive audit of food supply chains across the region to prevent further health risks. | 