Srinagar, Dec. 12 -- The sight of 119 lifeless chickens being unloaded in Srinagar is not just a disturbing episode; it is a damning indictment of a system that has failed its people time and again. This is not the first time the poultry supply chain has been exposed for its negligence, and yet, the lessons of the past remain unlearned. What unfolded recently is not merely about dead birds; it is about broken trust, compromised health and the betrayal of citizens who spend their hard-earned money believing the food on their table is safe.

Animal Husbandry Department, entrusted with the responsibility of regulating poultry farms, ensuring vaccination, surveillance, and disease testing, has once again been caught asleep at the wheel. Its m...