Mission Clean Plate
The last 10 days have revealed, shockingly, what we have been served in the name of frozen meat - the dishes made from it. The presence of this rotten meat across shows the depth and spread of the crisis. Coming to this pass that we now find tons of rotten meat strewn in open spaces, as those who stored it now fear action, depicts how it had reached to almost every corner in this space. Right now we are in a state of shock, but slowly it’s sinking in. Right now every one is praising the actions of the Food Safety Department, but at the same time there is a sense of terrible unease on how much we must have consumed of it for all the months and years it was sold and consumed by a vast population. And what could be its fall out on our health.
There is also another concern. What after this current drive comes to an end? Right now there is an atmosphere where no one would dare to import such stuff from outside and store it here. None can have these meat products displayed in their shops. But what would happen once the crackdown on these criminal elements slows down. The human experience tells us that when law and order tightens its control, criminal elements learn finer ways of resorting to their older habits. Since it appears that at the back end, it is some huge cartel that must be running this supply at the top, there is a a danger that they do the same thing some other ways.
The test of the government, particularly the relevant department, is in not lowering the guard. One, the crackdown on such elements should continue. Two, those found involved should be severely penalised. Third, the information from the culprits must be pooled in to zero in on the top line suppliers. Fourth, the current action must nab the culprits at the source. Wherefrom the stuff is being imported, outside J&K, should be pursued by collaborating with administrations outside J&K. Fifth, the names of the persons associated with this criminal activity should be made public so that they are shamed to an extent that a huge societal defense is raised.
The meeting by CM Omar Abdullah and the launch of clean plate mission should look into all these finer points and ensure that no rotten meat finds its way onto any plate anywhere in our space. It is a moment of reckoning for both – government and society. The two in tandem need to introspect and remain in a state of perpetual vigil against any such assault on the life and health of people.
