Retail mutton traders protest in Srinagar

SRINAGAR — Mutton traders from Kashmir capital Srinagar on Monday staged a protest, demanding an end to row over meat prices.

Over a dozen mutton traders assembled here in Press Enclave Srinagar, carrying placards and seeking justice. The protest was led by one Muhammad Saleem Mir.

The protesters said that they have been suffering from past three months as the government is not coming clean on the issue. “Government claims there are 80,000 sheep units but on ground there is none. Whey these sheep unit holders are not supplying sheep to us. We have to import meat and incur lot of expenses,” Mir said.

The protesters sought intervention of Lieutenant Governor to end this deadlock.

They said that despite a private and a government delegation visiting the outside markets to ascertain the facts, no report has been published yet.

Pertinently, there is a deadlock between the government and the mutton dealers over meat prices. Government has already directed mutton retailers to sell meat at Rs. 480 per kilogram, the rate these retailers are objecting, saying they will incur losses if they follow government rates.