Over 12,000 kg rotten meat and 7,665 kg of fake cheese seized in J&K: Health Minister Sakina Itoo

At least 12,183 kg rotten meat and 7,665 kg of fake cheese were seized and destroyed in Jammu and Kashmir till December in the current financial year, Health Minister Sakina Itoo informed the Assembly on Friday.

Replying to a question in the Legislative Assembly, the Health Minister said over 12,183 kg of rotten meat was destroyed, while another 2,139 kg was seized during the period from April to December 2025. The total value of the destroyed stock is estimated at Rs 29.19 lakh.

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The data tabled by the Minister shows that Srinagar district recorded the highest seizures, with 4,220 kg of rotten meat destroyed, followed by Jammu at 3,881 kg, and Kupwara at 1,520 kg.

She said 7,665 kg of paneer valuing Rs 16.32 lakh was seized and destroyed in Jammu and Samba districts.

Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather urged the government to strengthen the legal framework to combat food adulteration, as members voiced concern over a large-scale seizure of rotten meat and sub-standard cheese across the Union Territory.

Replying to a clubbed question from National Conference (NC) MLAs Saifullah Mir, Mubarak Gul, Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah and Hasnain Masoodi, Sakeena Itoo informed the Assembly that the substandard meat and cheese were destroyed during 1,676 inspections across Jammu and Kashmir during the Financial Year 2025-26, up to December 2025.

A total of 144 samples of meat and meat products and 173 samples of cheese were lifted for analysis at food laboratories within and outside Jammu and Kashmir. Reports for all meat samples have been received, with one declared substandard and 17 found unsafe. Similarly, reports have been received for 157 of the 173 cheese samples, of which 47 were declared substandard, and one was found unsafe, the minister said.

She acknowledged a shortage of technical manpower in both food-testing laboratories in the Union Territory — one each in Srinagar and Jammu — stating that against the 19 sanctioned posts in each, 11 are vacant.

She said action has been initiated against 18 food-business operators found involved in the sale of unsafe meat and meat products in various districts, including Srinagar and Jammu, with most of the cases currently under process.

In a supplementary to the main question, CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami and BJP’s Balwant Singh Mankotia made suggestions and sought more details on enforcement action, inter-departmental coordination, legal follow-up and preventive measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.

The Speaker said, “If you feel that the current provisions are not sufficient to end this trend, then why does the government not move a bill to amend the Act? The government should amend it and increase the powers of the food safety department and make those powers more effective so that no complaints arise in this regard, public health cannot be compromised.”