Authorities seal 117 mutton shops within a fortnight in Srinagar

SRINAGAR — To control the price of mutton, authorities have sealed over 117 mutton shops for the past two weeks in Kashmir’s capital city Srinagar.

People associated with the mutton trade are up in arms against the Directorate of Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution.

Authorities have fixed the price of meat at Rs 535 per kg in 2021, however, Assistant Director Enforcement, Mushtaq Ahmed Wani told the news agency KNT that complaints were being received that the butchers were selling meat at Rs 600 to Rs 650. He said the action to seal the shops has become inevitable given the fact that butchers continue to rob the consumers.

He appealed to people to inform the Department and identify the butchers who sell meat at exorbitant rates.

The senior leader of the Wholesale Mutton Dealers Association, Mehrajudin Ganai said that government should take a realistic view of the situation emerging due to the clash between the butchers and authorities. “There is inflation. Every product witnessed a hike and meat is not an exception,” he said, adding that there should be consensus on the rate.

Meanwhile, Kashmir Economic Alliance is mulling having a meeting with authorities to end the deadlock.