Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Aug 16: Restaurants and cafes across Kashmir are witnessing a sharp decline in business after authorities seized 1,200 kilograms of rotten and unfit meat from various locations in the Kashmir Valley in the last couple of weeks.
Restaurant owners report up to an 80 per cent drop in customers, leaving dining halls nearly empty, as people avoid eating outside.
Sharing details about the losses, Babar Chowdhary, head of the Jammu and Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association said that the industry has lost more than half its market in recent weeks.
He said over 80 per cent of restaurant sales have been affected across the Kashmir Valley, with Srinagar city being the most impacted. “The restaurants, cafeterias and other eateries in Srinagar are empty these days and people avoid eating outside,” he said.
Chowdhary added that the rotten meat and unbranded, unlabelled frozen food seizure has caused this situation and that the government must act tough against the culprits.
He demanded stricter inspections of meat entering the Union Territory and the establishment of a food-testing laboratory at Lakhanpur. “The rotten meat scandal has affected everyone in the business and damaged public confidence,” he said.
Similarly, shops and restaurants, including the longstanding Khayam Food Court, have reported the same losses, saying they have been hit hard by the ongoing scare.
One shop owner said their sales have dropped by nearly 50 per cent over the past two weeks. “Even regular customers are hesitant to eat here, and new customers are avoiding the shop entirely,” he said.
He said that people are scared after hearing about the rotten meat seizure, which has completely shaken their trust in the market. “We have been serving fast food to the valley for decades, but this sudden loss of confidence has left us worried about sustaining the business and retaining our staff,” he added.
The ongoing food safety crisis in Jammu and Kashmir escalated after authorities seized over 12,00 kilograms of decomposed and unlabelled meat from various locations across the region.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Smiti Sethi, earlier confirmed to KNO that the operation was initiated following continuous tip-offs, allowing the department to trace the supply chain and conduct targeted raids.
