Srinagar, February 02 (KNS):  Expressing serious concern over the continuing deadlock over the fixation of mutton prices in Kashmir, Apni Party General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir on Tuesday urged the J&K government to take all stakeholders into confidence for a speedy resolution of the mutton crisis.

As per the statement issued to news agency-kashmir news service (KNS), Interacting with a delegation of mutton dealers who had called on him at the Party office in Lal Chowk Srinagar, Mir regretted the failure of administration to break the ice over the fixation of mutton prices.

He said that the impasse over mutton rates has created immense inconvenience for the consumers across the valley and the condition of mutton-dealers remains equally deplorable.

Mir observed that the government should evolve a consensus with all the stakeholders to find an inclusive solution ending the stalemate. “The government must take all the stakeholders including mutton dealers, civil society members and respectable citizens on board so that a viable solution is formulated which is acceptable to all the parties,” Mir remarked.

He said that while the mutton dealers are facing a huge loss, the people have every right to have quality meat with an uninterrupted availability in the market.

“While the government is supposed to regulate the mutton prices, it is also duty bound to ensure to maintain the quality standards and provide quality meat to the consumers which is their basic right. The government should strike a balance between the price and the quality of mutton being supplied in the markets,” Mir observed.

He also urged the government to ensure that quality mutton is supplied to the markets without any simulated interruptions. “A conclusive solution to this problem is a must. The government should safeguard the public interest along with the interest of mutton wholesalers and retailers so that this deadlock is over as soon as possible,” Mir concluded.(KNS)