SRINAGAR: The continuous closure of the Srinagar-Jammu Highway, coupled with alleged mismanagement along the Mughal Road, has badly hit the mutton industry in Kashmir Valley, triggering acute shortage and forcing people to postpone wedding ceremonies.
According to the Mutton Dealers Association, more than 150 weddings scheduled across the Valley had to be deferred due to the unavailability of mutton. General Secretary of the Association, Mehrajuddin Ganai, told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the situation has become alarming, and if the livestock supply does not reach the Valley within a day, there will be zero availability of mutton from Tuesday onwards.
He revealed that at least 400 sheep have already died over the last three days in stranded trucks. The deaths have been attributed to prolonged halts, lack of food and water, and suffocation inside vehicles.
Although the government maintains that essential supplies are being routed through Mughal Road, the dealers alleged that traffic police are violating norms and creating unnecessary bottlenecks. “Right from Lakhanpore, trucks are stopped at multiple points, including, Nowshera, Sarankote and Poonch. They are made to wait for days before being allowed to move forward, leading to massive cattle deaths and financial losses,” Ganai said.
He said that trucks laden with sheep and goats remain stranded at several locations for three to four days at a stretch. The dealers alleged that authorities have failed to facilitate smooth movement despite repeated pleas.
The Mutton Dealers Association has appealed to the administration to intervene urgently and ensure the hassle-free passage of livestock trucks into Kashmir to prevent further losses and stabilize the market supply. [KNT]
