Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar, (DD) Breaking its silence, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has voiced deep concern over what it called the “growing menace” of sub-standard and rotten meat being supplied across the Valley, warning that it poses a grave threat to public health and erodes consumer trust.
The business body urged authorities to enforce strict, deterrent punishments against offenders and those complicit in passing unsafe products to consumers.
The fresh outcry follows the recent seizure of 1,200 kg of rotten meat in Zakura, which prompted KCCI to intervene with concerned authorities. An FIR has since been registered at Zakura Police Station against the accused.
According to KCCI, the Zakura episode is not isolated. In recent months, enforcement agencies have confiscated thousands of kilograms of rotten meat, stale fish, and cheap dressed chicken unfit for human consumption. In some cases, meat was allegedly treated with colouring agents to disguise decay — chemicals the Chamber warned are carcinogenic and carry long-term health risks.
KCCI also flagged the absence of proper halal certification, saying consumers are left in the dark about the origin, slaughter process, and quality of meat being sold. The lack of verification, it noted, raises religious and ethical concerns in addition to health hazards.
The Chamber further criticised the influx of uncertified, low-cost dressed chicken from outside Kashmir, claiming it not only threatens food safety but also inflicts heavy losses on local poultry farmers. It called for an immediate ban on such imports.
“These are not mere lapses in quality control but deliberate acts that endanger lives for profit,” KCCI stated, urging coordinated action between the administration, business community, and the public to restore confidence in the food supply chain.
The organisation reiterated that public health and safety must take precedence over commercial interests, warning that those compromising these values through the sale of unsafe products should face the harshest possible legal consequences(DD)
