Srinagar, July 24 (JKNS): Mutton dealers in Kashmir on Thursday suspended livestock trade citing alleged harassment, extortion, and heavy losses at Punjab mandis.
General Secretary of the Mutton Dealers Association, Mehraj-ur-din, told news agency JKNS that, “No one wishes to stop their work, but we were forced to halt the trade,” Mehraj-ur-din said. “Those sending livestock to outside mandis are being charged arbitrarily one day ₹5,000, the next day ₹10,000 or even ₹20,000, while vehicles are halted for hours, resulting in losses exceeding ₹50,000 daily. How can we bear such losses?” he questioned.
He said that the issue had been raised with the concerned minister. “I told him this is an urgent issue; I mailed about it four days ago, and only after that are we meeting now. I requested that a delegation be sent to Punjab to resolve this, as was done in 2016. I also said if corruption exists at lower levels, the matter should be escalated to the highest authorities in Punjab,” he added.
Mehraj-ur-din further stated that despite assurances, no concrete steps have been taken. “Our vehicles are being stopped, livestock is dying, and then we are forced to pay money to get our consignments released. Today I called the minister again, telling him the situation is worsening,” he said.
He warned that all mandis have now unanimously decided to halt livestock supplies. “We apologize to those with scheduled marriages or events if this causes inconvenience, but our hands are tied.
Until the government stops this hooliganism, no mutton trade will resume. The Chief Minister himself must step in; I don’t think anything good will happen unless he intervenes,” Mehraj-ur-din said. (JKNS)
