Ordered to be shut by HC, LMC kept slaughterhouses running
WHITHER ACCOUNTABILITY? Civic body continued to stamp over 15,00 slaughters per day charging Rs 10 a goat
LUCKNOW: While the hullaballoo over meat began on the day Yogi Adityanath took over as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, the meat trade in Lucknow was being run illegally ever since the high court ordered closure of three abattoirs on March 11, 2015.
As per record, the three slaughterhouses in Motijheel, Fatehganj and Maulviganj areas were sealed soon after the high court order.
However, the fact remains that all these abattoirs kept on operating illegally right under the patronage of Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) staff.
Or how else around 600 meat sellers, who claimed to have the licence, continued to get their certified meat as usual?
When Hindustan Times met these vendors, it was found that not just the goats and buffaloes were being slaughtered in all three abattoirs, there were being done in the presence of the LMC staff.
As per rules, it is mandatory for the LMC staff to check the health of animals, certify them as fit for human consumption and put on a stamp before and after the slaughter and skinning of the animal.
In fact, the rules says that LMC veterinary officer (a veterinary doctor) must stamp the meat with a special ink in three different places so as to ensure that only legal and fit meat is put on sale for human consumption. “These stamps not only ensure the safe transportation of meat but also increase the market value of meat and relieves the meat trader from paying bribes to the police on the way to market from the place of slaughter,” said a mutton trader of Udaiganj locality. Interestingly, the inking process isn’t free. “For every goat and buffalo, we have been paying the fees of Rs 10 and Rs 20 respectively,” claimed a meat seller. As per an estimate, around 1,500 goats are slaughtered per day in Lucknow.
This again leads to a question that how LMC, which on record, has only one veterinary doctor for the purpose, was managing the clearing of over 1,500 goats per day, that too at different places. “The licenced meat sellers are allowed to slaughter animals in their own shops and our staff members used to certify these animals,” admitted chief veterinary officer Dr AK Rao.
He, however, could not give a satisfactory reply on how Lucknow Municipal Corporation was managing to certify the health of animals without staff.
And how come the glaring anomaly was never detected by higher officials like municipal commissioner.
Not willing to come on record, the LMC officials refused to answer queries as to why and how the trade continued after high court ban.
Also, why was LMC collecting the slaughtering fee from mutton traders and where was the money going, if not to the LMC coffers.
These stamps (put before and after slaughter and skinning) not only ensure the safe transportation of meat but also increase the market value of meat and relieves the meat trader from paying bribes to the police on the way to market from the place of slaughter A MUTTON TRADER, Udaiganj locality