Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Aug 8: The Jammu and Kashmir Food Safety Department has seized and destroyed thousands of kilograms of meat in recent days, all of which officials say failed to meet cold-chain and labelling requirements.
Assistant Commissioner Hilal Ahmed Mir told ‘Excelsior’ that the enforcement drive targets meat that is improperly labelled, uncertified, or transported and stored without the mandatory temperature-controlled cold chain.
“Without frozen transport at minus 18°C from processing to the consumer, meat spoils,” he said. He added, “The violations are about safety standards, not religious permissibility.”
In the past week alone, officials destroyed eight quintals of spoiled meat in Jammu. Today 2.5 quintals of meat were disposed of across the Valley. On 1st August, a raid in Zakura Industrial Estate uncovered a 12-quintal consignment of decomposed meat, which was disposed of under safety protocols.
Mir said some suppliers, facing increased scrutiny, have resorted to dumping unsafe meat on roadsides to avoid being caught. “With police assistance, we ensured the safe disposal of these as well,” he added.
The crackdown extends beyond meat to other unsafe food practices, including the illegal use of synthetic colours in Wazwan dishes and other items. “Even if the meat is fresh, adding synthetic colors makes it unsafe,” Mir said.
In recent days, inspectors destroyed around 2,500 kebabs containing prohibited colours and fined violators Rs 56,000. The action covered both restaurants and roadside vendors, with warnings that stricter enforcement will continue.
Responding to rumours on social media, Mir clarified, “There is no haram meat involved. All seized products come from animals slaughtered according to Islamic law. The violations are about labelling, certification, and cold-chain failure.”
He urged the people to report unsafe food through the toll-free number 104. “This is a continuous campaign. We will not allow unsafe products to reach people’s plates,” he said.
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