Rotten, Unhygienic Meat Sales Expose Kashmir’s Regulatory Vacuum After Abrogation Of Article 370
The Essential Commodities Act 1955 was among the 200 laws repealed in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370, leaving the department a ‘toothless tiger’.
Published : August 11, 2025 at 5:53 PM IST
Srinagar: The seizure of large quantities of rotten meat in Kashmir has triggered a food safety scare in the valley and put the spotlight on a key law that allowed government oversight on markets but was repealed after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The Essential Commodities Act 1955 was among the several laws that delegated a slew of powers to the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), formerly Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD), for regulating essential commodities. This includes monitoring inflation, quality control and fixing violations, besides prevention of black marketing and maintenance of essential supplies. But it was among over 200 laws that were repealed in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 six years ago in August 2019, leaving the department a ‘toothless tiger’.
An official document shows that the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration in April 2023 to ‘refrain from issuing or enforcing any order’ under the Act. It noted that they ‘received information that the J&K government has been regulating the prices of livestock products such as milk, mutton, chicken, etc.’ under the Essential Commodities Act 1955.
The senior ministry official pointed out that the law is no longer valid and applicable in the Union Territory and requested the issuance of necessary directions to all concerned authorities. This followed after the department was enforcing rates of mutton and chicken, alongside carrying out market checks in the region.
“Since then, the department has only been involved in the distribution of rations to depots. The consumer affairs have been taken away,” said a senior government official.
ETV Bharat learnt that a fresh proposal for allowing the powers to the department was readied in the last few months after the elected government took over last year. The department had pointed out its work and the urgency for restoring the enforcement wing for market regulation.
“But the proposal is awaiting clearance from the government now," said a senior official.
In the meantime, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has directed the setting up of an inter-departmental panel for coordination and smooth enforcement, particularly for the distribution and sale of hygienic, fresh and properly labelled perishable items such as meat and chicken.
“The grave problem appears to have remained unchecked and unnoticed for too long. The unscrupulous elements have played with the health and lives of people. This has to stop, and those deliberately involved in playing with public health must face the law,” Abdullah said, chairing a high-level meeting in Srinagar.
"There will be an audit of the concerned departments and the mechanism to stop the import, sale and use of the unhygienic meat and other food items,” he said.
He directed criminal proceedings against the most serious violators and ‘exemplary punitive’ action against those found storing or selling unsafe food.
Kashmir is experiencing a shocking revelation after the discovery of hundreds of kilograms of mutton and chicken unfit for human consumption.
The seizures from cold storage facilities meant for distribution to hotels and restaurants have triggered outrage, with people demanding strict enforcement to ban the rotten supplies.
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