Srinagar, Sept 10: The Kashmir Hotel & Restaurant Owners Association (KHAROA) has voiced strong concern over what it termed the “thundering silence” of the government on the issue of allegedly unsafe imported mutton being supplied to restaurants and eateries across the Valley.
In a statement, KHAROA said that certain officials had created a “misleading impression” that unsafe mutton had entered the food chain, without any investigation, probe, or establishment of supply chain accountability. “This narrative was floated without verifying how the so-called unsafe mutton landed in established restaurants and eateries,” the Association noted.
According to KHAROA, some enforcement officials, acting in “apparent competition with each other,” declared meat preparations unsafe or rotten simply by touching them “as if their hands were equipped with instant testing machines and barometers.”
The Association said its office bearers met government authorities to raise these flaws but lamented that “no corrective action has been taken so far.” It added: “We had strongly demanded that the government name and shame the unscrupulous elements responsible. However, nothing has been disclosed so far, creating confusion and mistrust among the public. Permit us to say that just like the hotel sector, the restaurant trade has also gone for a toss.”
KHAROA warned that the controversy has dealt a severe blow to the hospitality sector, leading to a sharp decline in footfall at restaurants and eateries. The uncertainty, it said, has caused heavy losses, endangering employment and leaving members of the association “under tremendous stress.”
The Association also questioned the “selective silence” of government agencies, pointing out that while action was taken against certain sectors such as banks, “fair and scrupulous restaurant owners—who have become unfortunate victims of this campaign—must be cleared without delay.”
Noting that the industry is still recovering from the Pahalgam incident, KHAROA said the fresh mutton controversy has further crippled the hotel and restaurant trade. “The damage is immense and may prove irreparable if immediate measures are not taken,” it cautioned.
KHAROA urged the highest levels of government to intervene, restore public confidence, and support the restaurant and eatery trade. “This campaign has already caused enough damage. Authorities must act quickly not only to instill confidence in customers but also to safeguard an industry that provides livelihood to thousands across Kashmir,” the statement stressed.
The Association further warned that several outlets are on the verge of closure if the crisis continues unchecked.
