JK Government Conducts Special Drives Against Unsafe Meat
Health Minister Sakeena Itoo said that the Health Department conducted special enforcement drives across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir in response to reports of the sale and seizure of rotten or unsafe meat in the Kashmir Valley.
February 13, Srinagar: Health Minister Sakeena Itoo said that the Health Department conducted special enforcement drives across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir in response to reports of the sale and seizure of rotten or unsafe meat in the Kashmir Valley.
The Minister made the statement during a House session while responding to questions from legislators Mir Saifullah, Mubarik Gul, Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, and Hasnain Masoodi on “Food Adulteration and Sale of Rotten Meat.”
She said that during the 2025–26 fiscal year (December 2025), 1,676 inspections were conducted, resulting in the seizure of 2,139 kilograms of meat and the destruction of 12,183.5 kilograms of rotten meat across various districts. Action was taken against individuals, traders and establishments responsible under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Itoo added that the FSS Act provides a self-contained statutory enforcement mechanism through inspection, sampling, adjudication and prosecution, and does not allow registration of FIRs or arrests under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Samples collected were sent for analysis within the UT at the Food Laboratory, Kashmir, and outside UT at the National Food Laboratory, Ghaziabad; FRAC-FICCI, New Delhi; and ICAR–National Meat Research Institute, Hyderabad. Of 144 meat and meat product samples, 17 were reported unsafe and one substandard.
The Department operates two NABL-accredited Food Testing Laboratories in Jammu and Srinagar, along with 12 mobile laboratories. FSSAI-recognized labs across India are also used as needed. The Minister acknowledged a shortage of technical staff, noting that vacant posts will be referred to recruiting agencies once recruitment rules are finalized, while outsourced staff are engaged to address immediate needs.
She also highlighted the operational grievance redressal mechanism, accessible via toll-free number 104, the UT portal (https://dfcojk.org/complaint.php), and the FSSAI portal (https://fssai.gov.in/cms/food-safety-connect.php).
To safeguard public health, the Food Safety Department undertakes regular inspections of food establishments, sampling and testing of food items, enforcement actions including license suspension or cancellation, penalties, prosecution, special drives, and surveillance during festivals. These measures aim to ensure safe and wholesome food and reduce the incidence of food-borne diseases.
Supplementary questions were raised by legislators M.Y. Tarigami, Tanvir Sadiq, and B.S. Mankotia.
