Baramulla residents aghast over exorbitant mutton rates

Baramulla, Feb 27: The residents of Baramulla town are furious over sudden hike in meat price.

The unexpected surge is seen ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. The meat sellers across the town have unilaterally increased rates, prompting calls for immediate intervention from the Baramulla district administration.

While the usual price for meat was Rs 650 per kg, residents are now facing the burden of purchasing meat at rates ranging between Rs 700 and Rs 730 per kg. This sudden spike has caused inconvenience and financial strain for many locals, who are questioning the legitimacy of such arbitrary increases.

Ghulam Qadir, a local resident, while expressing his anger, said, “The sudden hike by the meat sellers shows that they don’t believe in the rule of law. The authorities’ failure to make them accountable provides them a reason to illegally enhance the rates.”

The timing of the price hike, just before the commencement of Ramadan, has raised eyebrows and is being viewed as a deliberate attempt to capitalise on increased meat consumption during the holy month. Many residents are urging the district administration to take swift action against errant meat sellers.

“As the month of Ramadan is approaching, the meat sellers have started blackmailing common people by resorting to exorbitant rates. This is completely unacceptable. The administration should intervene and seize the shops of such butchers who don’t follow government regulations,” said Altaf Hussain, another local resident.

The Assistant Director of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) in Baramulla, Ifthikar Ahmad, clarified that they do not play a role in mutton rate fixation. “We don’t have any role in the rate fixation of the mutton,” he stated.

Following the unilateral meat rise by the meat sellers, the locals here are now eagerly awaiting the administration’s intervention to address the issue. They have urged the district administration to seize the shops of such meat sellers so that the spontaneous hike is stopped.