Ban Unbranded Frozen Meat, Set Up Labs at Lakhanpur: Hotels’ Body to Govt

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association (JKHARA) on Saturday urged the government to ensure strict testing of all frozen meat consignments at the Lakhanpur entry point before allowing them into the Union Territory.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, JKHARA vice-president Babar Chowdhary said the association fully supports strong measures to safeguard consumer health and recommends immediate action to regulate the supply chain.

The association demanded a complete ban on unbranded frozen meat and poultry, establishment of a fully functional testing laboratory at Lakhanpur for real-time checks on expiry, hygiene and quality before allowing entry to Jammu and Kashmir.

They also demanded mandatory and rigorous consignment checking, including expiry dates, packaging integrity, labelling and freshness indicators. “Strict legal action against violators, including sealing of licences, blacklisting of suppliers and prosecution under food safety laws must be taken,” the vice president said.

Chowdhary said the association’s recommendations are meant to create a zero-tolerance framework against unsafe meat products. “Our focus is consumer safety. We request authorities to enforce strict testing at the entry point so that no unsafe products reach Kashmir,” he said. (KNO)