Srinagar, August: Maroof Khan Political Youth Leader has expressed deep concern after the Food Safety Department and Drug and Food Control Organisation (DFCO) seized and destroyed 1,200 kilograms of rotten meat in Srinagar and called for immediate and decisive action by the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs.
According to Assistant Commissioner Food Safety Hilal Ahmad Mir, the foul-smelling, decomposed meat—brought from outside the region—was dumped in the industrial area of Zakura and was about to be transported when specific inputs led to a timely intervention by the Food Safety team. The entire consignment was found unfit for human consumption and was safely destroyed as per protocol.
Maroof Khan praised the swift response of the Food Safety Department but warned that such incidents reflect a deeper nexus of unscrupulous suppliers exploiting public trust and risking lives for profit. This is not a minor lapse; it is a public health crisis in the making. I urge the Honourable Minister to order a thorough probe into the supply chain, and bring all those responsible to justice, said Maroof Khan. He stressed the need for intensified market surveillance and regular inspections of cold storages, meat shops, and hotels especially those dealing in frozen or perishable items.
Food safety teams must stay active on ground. This cannot be a one-time crackdown. A systematic cleanup and accountability mechanism is needed to prevent such horrors from repeating,” Khan stated. Assistant Commissioner Hilal Ahmad Mir also emphasized the perishable nature of meat transported from outside and the health risks if it is not stored in temperature-controlled environments. The department has now launched a detailed investigation into how the unsafe meat entered Srinagar and is tracing those involved in the supply network.
Maroof Khan concluded by urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious food products. The lives of our people must not be compromised. The administration must send a strong message that such criminal negligence will not be tolerated.
