Mamata forms committee to stop carcass meat trade

KOLKATA: Eighteen days after the West Bengal police made its first arrest in the carcass meat racket, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday formed a committee of top government and police officials and said the racket has been operating not only in Bengal but in other states as well.

“The police have done a good job. Today, we have formed a committee to be headed by the chief secretary. It will formulate a foolproof mechanism to ensure carcass meat cannot be retrieved by anyone,” said Banerjee.

“This operation was not confined to Bengal. It had spread to other states also. The discovery has spread panic and many people have stopped having meat. The government will deal with this,” said Banerjee .

The committee’s members comprise the director general of state police, the commissioner of Kolkata police, and the principal secretaries of health, animal husbandry, panchayat, and urban development departments. Officials said Banerjee wants the committee to formulate a scientific mechanism for disposal of animal carcass and draft policies to ensure quality of food sold in markets and eateries.

On Tuesday, around a thousand kilos of stale casein was recovered from a sweetmeat factory at Katwa in East Burdwan district.

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This operation wasn’t confined to Bengal. It had spread to other states also. The discovery has spread panic.

MAMATA BANERJEE, Bengal CM