Rotten Meat Continues To Plague Kashmir Food Market As Govt Speeds Up Action
The seizure of hundreds of kilograms of rotten meat in the valley has raised concerns on food safety.
Published : August 7, 2025 at 3:59 PM IST
Srinagar: The rotten meat disclosure continues in the Kashmir valley as two more consignments were seized by the Jammu and Kashmir government after dozens of unclaimed packages were dumped in Srinagar outskirts by unknown traders.
Assistant Commissioner Food Safety Srinagar, Yamin ul Nabi said that department is investigating in coordination with the Jammu and Kashmir police the two consignments which were dumped on a roadside in Nowgam and Pampore in Srinagar outskirts.
“The rotten meat and chicken packages were without labels and other trade markers. Exposing the traders and supplier links are a matter of investigation. In coordination with the police and collecting technical and material evidence, we will unravel this illegal trade practice that is endangering our health,” Nabi said.
The two consignments estimated to be in thousands of kilograms were dumped a week after after the government confiscated rotten meat from Sunshine Foods in Zakura Industrial Estate in Srinagar. The trader Sunshine Foods has been booked by the Jammu and Kashmir police under Section 272 and 274 (adulteration of food) in the Zakura police station last week, from whose storage facility 1200 kilograms of rotten and unhygienic packaged mutton was found on July 31. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, he is also facing legal proceedings.
In its fresh enforcement drive and raids, the Food & Drugs Administration J&K said it seized 2,500 kebabs in Safakadal and Parimpora in Srinagar, 150 kilograms of gustaba and 250 kilograms of locally procured meat was seized and destroyed in Ganderbal district.
Officials said that all this packaged meat and chicken are imported from Delhi, UP and other states into Kashmir and sold to food outlets who make kebabs, ristas and other cuisine from this import.
Hilal Ahmad Mir, Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety, told ETV Bharat the police has registered FIRs in both the fresh incidents where the meat and chicken was dumped by the unknown traders.
Mir said that raid and legal action against the Sunshine Foods has triggered dumping of this meat and chicken by the traders who fear a similar action against them after their July 31 raid. “Since these traders are not maintaining any temperate control measures as per food safety norms, now they fear action and dump this rotten meat to escape action. But we are after them,” he said.
Speaking about the action taken against the Zakura trader, he said that the owner was running the storage without the required license and without any proper and legal cold storage facility. “We have filed challans against him,” Mir said.
Officials said the seizure of rotten and frozen chicken and meat has exposed that these traders and dealers run the trade without having proper refrigeration facilities, leading to decline in sale of their supplies by food outlets, hotels and restaurants. “They are now dumping their supply to get away from the law enforcement. But we have launched a coordinated investigation to expose the whole trade link,” Mir said.
As per Food Safety Department, Jammu and Kashmir has 7673 registered vendors who sell tea, snacks and street foods. Among these, 2681 operate in Kashmir valley, while 4992 vendors run in Jammu province. Frozen meat, chicken and fish are imported from outside states into Kashmir and consumed in large quantities and sold by the many vendors and food outlets, including hotels and restaurants in the Kashmir valley. The seizure of rotten meat has raised food and health safety concerns among the people.
Hamida Akhter, the General Manager of District Industries Center (DIC) in Srinagar, said she has been designated the inquiry officer in the Sunshine Foods case and she will complete the inquiry and then further legal action will be taken against the owner.
Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners' Association and civil society groups have also expressed their concern about this disclosure, and have demanded a crackdown against these traders.
“We request Food Inspector Pulwama and Administration Pulwama to please check out all restaurants and hotels in the district.
“It is a grave concern that rotten meat and chickens have been supplied to hotels and restaurants all over Kashmir. People all over Kashmir are shocked after these incidents,” Ajaz Ahmad, a citizen said, urging the administration to check out all food outlets including restaurants and hotels, for food safety.
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