Ensure no unsafe meat enters and is sold in J&K: High Court to Government
Srinagar, Sept 4: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh Thursday directed the Commissioner, Food Safety and IGsP of Kashmir and Jammu to ensure that no unsafe meat is allowed to enter or sold within Jammu and Kashmir.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal issued notice to the three officers after they were pleaded as party respondents apparently to achieve the desired tangible results with regard to the issues raised in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the bench was hearing.
The PIL filed by Advocate Mir Umer through his Counsel Shafqat Nazir, Advocate is seeking judicial intervention to curb the sale, storage, distribution, and transportation of rotten, unhygienic, and unsafe meat, poultry, and fish products within Jammu and Kashmir.
As the PIL came up at around 11:30 am, senior Advocate Jahangir Ganai as Amicus Curiae submitted that the Government’s response was not sufficient. He said the issue is serious and must be taken seriously. “There is an indispensable requirement for implementation of the Food Safety Act and Municipal Corporation Act for achieving the desired tangible results”, the Amicus said
The Court also impleaded Commissioner Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department and Commissioner, Sales Tax in the PIL and issued them notices for their response.
The authorities were impleaded as party respondents after there was consensus among parties that their role was important enough to help curb the menace the PIL is projecting.
Advocate Shafaqat Nazir representing the petitioner submitted that the government stated that testing reports are standard. “But being standard is not enough, it must be safe,” he said. The authorities are silent over whether the reports are safe or unsafe, he added.
The court also took note of a news report regarding seizure of 21 quintals of synthetic cheese and expired oil and directed the concerned authorities to file a reply to the same. It also expressed displeasure as Commissioners of Municipal Corporations of Srinagar and Jammu are yet to file their replies to the PIL. The Bench disagreed with the submission by senior Advocate General Mohsin Qadri for 10 days’ time to file the response.
“10 days is a long date; this is not less than a pandemic. Whatever is happening is not good, let them also sacrifice their sleep and file response within time “the bench observed, orally. The Court listed the matter for further hearing on September 10.
In the PIL petitioner seeks enforcement of food safety laws, accountability of authorities, and directions for the establishment of stringent preventive and monitoring mechanisms to ensure that only safe, hygienic meat and poultry products are permitted for sale in J&K, thereby protecting public health and upholding constitutional guarantees.
In Jammu & Kashmir, meat and poultry consumption is predominantly by the Muslim majority population, for whom adherence to “Halal‟ dietary principles is not merely a preference but a religious obligation, says the PIL. “Given this demographic reality, Halal certification of all meat and poultry products is not just desirable, but necessary to safeguard religious rights, public health, and consumer trust,” it says.
The PIL seeks to ensure that meat and poultry intended for Muslim consumers is compulsorily Halal-certified, and the meat processed through other methods (including Jhatka) is appropriately labelled, so that consumers are fully informed and able to exercise their choice.
According to the PIL, the recent discovery of large quantities of rotten meat in Kashmir has underscored the urgent need for a strict regulatory mechanism. “Such incidents reveal serious lapses in quality control, hygiene standards, and supply chain monitoring,” it said.
