Srinagar, Aug. 9 -- The high-profile enforcement drive, carried out jointly by the Food Safety Department Srinagar and the Drug and Food Control Organization (DFCO), was based on a tip-off about a cold storage facility allegedly stacked with stale, foul-smelling meat. Led by Assistant Commissioners Hilal Ahmad Mir (ICLC) and Yameen Ul Nabi, along with Food Safety Officers, the team raided the premises, confiscated the meat, and destroyed it under strict supervision. Legal proceedings have been initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

For the city's restaurant owners, the damage has been swift and unforgiving. "We used to be full during lunch hours, now half the chairs stay empty," said a downtown restaurant owner, speaking on c...