HC RAPS BMC FOR LICENCE TO SLAUGHTER IN COURTROOM
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court berated the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for issuing a permit to slaughter five goats inside court room number 13 between August 22 and 24, on the occasion of Bakri Eid.
The permit was issued through BMC’S online process. The HC asked BMC to stop issuing licences till the flaws are rectified. Expressing displeasure at the “absurdity of the system and lack of application of mind”, the bench sought to know how the BMC will curb such a lapse in its online process and verify credentials of applicants and places. The division bench of justices Abhay Oka and Riyaz Chagla were shocked when the petitioners’ counsel, Dr Sujay Kantawala, submitted proof of faulty licences issued by BMC since August 14. He submitted evidence of two temporary slaughter licences issued by BMC in the name of fictitious persons.“this is shocking,” said justice Oka after he was informed that licences had been issued by BMC to slaughter 10 goats in his courtroom. “We are fortunate the licences have not been issued in our names.”
During the hearing, Kantawala also applied for a permit online and was issued a licence to slaughter four goats in the court of acting chief justice Naresh Patil. When BMC’S counsel argued that despite the online process having started two years ago, the petitioner had come to court now, the HC dismissed the claims. It directed BMC to reply by Saturday and posted the hearing for Monday. Mumbai:seventeen students and a teacher from Bhandup’s Sahyadri Vidya Mandir had to be admitted to a hospital on Thursday morning to treat symptoms of food poisoning after they ate the mid-day meal served at the school.
Over 700 students from Classes 5 to 8 were served dal and rice around 11am and students from Section C of Class 7, along with their class teacher, complained of nausea and abdominal pain. They were taken to the municipal MT Agarwal Hospital, Mulund, and are reported to be in a stable condition. “After students and the teacher fell sick, we rushed them to the hospital immediately. Lingeshwar Self-help Group, Bhandup (West) has been providing midday meal to the school over the past 3-4 years. We have stopped their services until further notice,” said Narayan Sawant, trustee of the school.
The police said they were investigating if there was any negligence. “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have collected the samples and we are proving them assistance,” said Akhileshkumar Singh, deputy commissioner of police, Zone 7.
The Marathi-medium school runs in two shifts- morning and afternoon. While the school has over 1,600 students, Thursday’s meal was served only to students from Classes 5 to 8.
Archana Shirke, a Bhandup resident whose twins were among those taken to the hospital, said they got to know about the incident only when they went to school around 1pm to pick up their kids. “We were told that the children took ill, while some started vomiting others complained of severe stomach ache after eating the midday meal. But there is no doubt that the school handled the situation effectively,” said Shirke. “They came with complaints of vomiting and abdominal pain but there were no episodes after admission,” said Dr Usha Mhoprekar, medical superintendent. “We ensured they are hydrated enough and immediately started medication to counter any possible food poisoning effect. They are all stable now and are likely to be discharged by Friday morning.”htc