Kollam: In a concerning development, not only stale fish but also meat is being transported via rail, raising alarm over the indifference of railway authorities towards parcel handling. This lax approach has created an opportunity for smugglers to traffic stale meat. One of the primary issues lies in the inadequate documentation accompanying parcels, which fails to accurately identify senders and recipients. Furthermore, tests conducted on these parcels are deemed inefficient. Compounding the situation is the complicity of a group of porters, who aid in the widespread smuggling of inedible meat and fish.

Railway procedures mandate the recording of the recipient's address on waybills, with parcels marked externally with waybill numbers and quantities. However, many stations disregard these standards, with railway officials acknowledging the involvement of certain porters in illegal parcel handling.

Meat and fish transported from other states arrive in thermocol boxes with ice, lacking inspection by railway health inspectors. The Food Safety Department officials are restricted to inspecting at only the outside of stations, unable to verify adherence to food safety regulations. According to the Food Safety Act, perishable items like fish and meat should be transported in insulated boxes or refrigerated vehicles for longer distances, a requirement unmet by current railway practices.

A recent incident exemplifies the severity of the situation, as the Food Safety Department was unable to trace the source or recipient of stale meat brought via the Madurai passenger train from Kollam railway station on Saturday. Consequently, the inedible meat was disposed of. Demands have been raised by Food Safety Department officials for railways to mandatorily obtain sender and recipient addresses and identification documents for food items transported through their network. It has also become customary to abandon all fish and meat at stations once inspection details are known.