Mutton back on J&K tables after traders call off strike over Punjab ‘extortion'

Time of India

10 hours ago

SRINAGAR: A week-old mutton crisis in J&K ended Saturday after dealers called off a strike against alleged harassment and 'extortion' at checkpoints in neighbouring Punjab for carrying livestock from other states.
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The decision came after talks between officials of J&K's food and supplies department and their counterparts in Punjab, who had denied any extortion but insisted on valid papers for transporting cattle. 'Punjab govt agreed to appoint nodal officers to ensure vehicles transporting livestock from other states do not face problems. These officers will remain in constant coordination with J&K authorities,' Nasir Aslam Wani, political adviser to CM Omar Abdullah, told TOI.
J&K authorities pointed out that the mutton dealers were accused of violating Punjab Cattle Fairs (Regulation) Act for livestock they were importing from Rajasthan and Delhi. But Wani contended that the law did not apply to J&K traders since they were not procuring livestock from Punjab. 'They cannot charge us for livestock in transit,' Wani said.
Mehrajuddin Ganai, general secretary of Kashmir Mutton Dealers Association, said 'our vehicles carrying sheep from Rajasthan, Delhi and other regions were routinely stopped at Shambu and Madhopur checkpoints in Punjab'.
'Truckers were forced to pay bribes and halt. Long delays caused many animals to die due to heat and stress.'
According to Mehrajuddin, the association had met CM Omar and food minister Satish Sharma several times in the past few days, following which J&K's team went to Punjab for talks.
On Friday, Punjab's rural development and panchayats department issued an order appointing nodal officers to verify documents related to purchase and transport of animals from other states.
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The order directs 'installation of boards at each checkpoint displaying the names and contact numbers of the nodal officers'. Amardeep Singh Gujral, joint director in Punjab's rural development department, asserted that 'there was no extortion taking place'.
'Vehicles carrying livestock with valid govt slips will not be charged. The issue has been sorted out,' Gujral said.
J&K's mutton dealers expressed cautious optimism.
'Now that Punjab govt has issued an order, we have decided to resume supplies. But we will review the situation after a week. If we face the same problems again, we will reconsider our decision,' Mehrajuddin said.
The strike had disrupted Kashmir's multi-crore mutton trade. According to official data, J&K consumes 60,000 tonnes of mutton annually, with residents spending an estimated Rs 3,900 crore each year. More than half of the supplies -- around 35,000 tonnes -- is sourced from outside J&K, mostly from Rajasthan and Delhi. Mutton consumption is the highest in the Valley, where demand peaks during marriage and festival seasons and it makes uninterrupted supply critical.