NAGPUR: A state-level committee appointed on the direction of Supreme
Court has recommended action against Kamptee Municipal Council (KMC) for
allowing an illegal slaughter house, said to be one of the biggest in the state.
The state's animal husbandry department was requested by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), under the ministry of environment and forest, to conduct random inspections of at least 10 licensed slaughter houses every six months as per Supreme Court directions under the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.
Accordingly, a six-member committee consisting of Dr S B Baseshankar, Dr D V Kadoo, Dr K S Bhide, Dr N N Zade, and two co-opted members of AWBI S N Kapoor and Abodh Aras inspected two slaughter houses - Bhandewadi and Kamptee.
On the slaughter house at Kamptee operating in Bhaji Mandi, the panel recommended AWBI to issue notice to the district collector and chief officer of KMC to stop the illegal slaughter of large animals. The panels said around 300 animals are slaughtered here daily ostensibly for domestic consumption but the meat is transported outside illegally. It is exported to Middle-East via Mumbai.
"The illegal business is thriving with blessings of local police and officials. Electric slicers have been installed to slaughter animals. It is shocking how MSEDCL has issued power meters for slicers in residential area," asks local Congress leader Narendra Sharma.
Sharma says police express helplessness citing law and order problem. "But is the place above people's health and environment? Water bodies are being polluted and people's health is at risk," Sharma said.
Cattle slaughter is allowed for domestic consumption but over the years meat export has become a lucrative business. The slaughter has no checks or certification from any authorized vet. Till the visit of the committee, municipal council used to issue ante-mortem certificates by a vet appointed by commissioner of animal husbandry.
However, ahead of the committee's visit in April, the chief officer of KMC wrote to animal husbandry department informing there is no large animal slaughter house in Kamptee. Chief officer Ravindra Pandher says plans are afoot to shift the slaughter house outside the city.
KMC vice-president Shahajan Safahat admits it is a nuisance and not acceptable. "Earlier cattle was slaughtered for livelihood but now stakes are higher as beef is being exported. The number of cattle killed certainly doesn't match local consumption. The slaughter house needs to be shifted elsewhere as it poses serious hazards," Safahat says.
BJP MLA from Kamptee Chandrashekhar Bawankule says, "I've raised the issue several times in the House but the government is doing nothing. A group of 24 NGOs plan to file a petition against the slaughter house," he says.
Of late, the traders have installed equipment even in households to bring every body part of the animals to use. "The processes to extract oil and cleaning skins creates stench in the area," Bawankule said.
The MLA says police do not want to take action. Daily five truckloads of beef is transported from Kamptee but police cannot see it.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Illegal-slaughter-house-in-Kamptee-poses-risk/articleshow/14279688.cms
The state's animal husbandry department was requested by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), under the ministry of environment and forest, to conduct random inspections of at least 10 licensed slaughter houses every six months as per Supreme Court directions under the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.
Accordingly, a six-member committee consisting of Dr S B Baseshankar, Dr D V Kadoo, Dr K S Bhide, Dr N N Zade, and two co-opted members of AWBI S N Kapoor and Abodh Aras inspected two slaughter houses - Bhandewadi and Kamptee.
On the slaughter house at Kamptee operating in Bhaji Mandi, the panel recommended AWBI to issue notice to the district collector and chief officer of KMC to stop the illegal slaughter of large animals. The panels said around 300 animals are slaughtered here daily ostensibly for domestic consumption but the meat is transported outside illegally. It is exported to Middle-East via Mumbai.
"The illegal business is thriving with blessings of local police and officials. Electric slicers have been installed to slaughter animals. It is shocking how MSEDCL has issued power meters for slicers in residential area," asks local Congress leader Narendra Sharma.
Sharma says police express helplessness citing law and order problem. "But is the place above people's health and environment? Water bodies are being polluted and people's health is at risk," Sharma said.
Cattle slaughter is allowed for domestic consumption but over the years meat export has become a lucrative business. The slaughter has no checks or certification from any authorized vet. Till the visit of the committee, municipal council used to issue ante-mortem certificates by a vet appointed by commissioner of animal husbandry.
However, ahead of the committee's visit in April, the chief officer of KMC wrote to animal husbandry department informing there is no large animal slaughter house in Kamptee. Chief officer Ravindra Pandher says plans are afoot to shift the slaughter house outside the city.
KMC vice-president Shahajan Safahat admits it is a nuisance and not acceptable. "Earlier cattle was slaughtered for livelihood but now stakes are higher as beef is being exported. The number of cattle killed certainly doesn't match local consumption. The slaughter house needs to be shifted elsewhere as it poses serious hazards," Safahat says.
BJP MLA from Kamptee Chandrashekhar Bawankule says, "I've raised the issue several times in the House but the government is doing nothing. A group of 24 NGOs plan to file a petition against the slaughter house," he says.
Of late, the traders have installed equipment even in households to bring every body part of the animals to use. "The processes to extract oil and cleaning skins creates stench in the area," Bawankule said.
The MLA says police do not want to take action. Daily five truckloads of beef is transported from Kamptee but police cannot see it.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Illegal-slaughter-house-in-Kamptee-poses-risk/articleshow/14279688.cms
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