NEW
DELHI: In a move which will bring cheer to meat eaters in India,
municipal boards across the country will take initiatives to provide
facilities for safe and hygienic production of meat.
These local bodies will also address the problem of availability of suitable land for modernization of abattoirs (slaughter houses). The decision was taken by the municipal boards during the sixth mayors' conference here last week.
The conference was organized by the National Meat and Poultry Processing Board (NMPPB) in the backdrop of growing demand by consumers to clean up the mess around slaughter houses in the country.
The decision assumes significance in the light of Supreme Court's order to this effect last year. The apex court had directed all state governments and Union Territory administrations to constitute committees for modernization of slaughter houses, check use of child labour in this sector and close illegal slaughter houses in the country.
Slaughter of animals for food is a 'state subject' and is regulated by local bodies through licensing of slaughter houses and retail meat shops. However, most municipal slaughter houses lack modern machinery and equipment with inadequate attention to hygiene and sanitation.
Facilities for effluent treatment and waste disposal in these traditional slaughter houses are also far from satisfactory. The utilization of slaughter house byproducts such as skins, edible offal, blood and bristles is low and lacks the desired level of quality.
Alarmed by the condition of slaughter establishments, a number of public interest litigation (PILs) has been filed in the SC seeking directions to state governments as well as the Centre to effectively implement statutory rules relating to prevention of cruelty to animals and pollution control.
The SC had in August last year had directed all state governments and UTs to constitute committees for slaughterhouses, to fulfill mandatory requirements under various legislations dealing with the functioning of abattoirs.
On its part, the Centre has taken several steps to enhance production of safe meat and generate awareness about issues related to food safety, standard, hygiene and animal welfare.
"The ministry of food processing industries (MoFPI) has been implementing an infrastructure scheme for modernization of abattoirs... The ministry has introduced a scheme for modernization of meat shops, under which a grant of Rs 5 lakh can be given by state governments for modernization of each meat shop," the agriculture ministry said in a statement on Monday.
It said the state governments have been asked to identify cities where this scheme will be started in 2013-14.
These local bodies will also address the problem of availability of suitable land for modernization of abattoirs (slaughter houses). The decision was taken by the municipal boards during the sixth mayors' conference here last week.
The conference was organized by the National Meat and Poultry Processing Board (NMPPB) in the backdrop of growing demand by consumers to clean up the mess around slaughter houses in the country.
The decision assumes significance in the light of Supreme Court's order to this effect last year. The apex court had directed all state governments and Union Territory administrations to constitute committees for modernization of slaughter houses, check use of child labour in this sector and close illegal slaughter houses in the country.
Slaughter of animals for food is a 'state subject' and is regulated by local bodies through licensing of slaughter houses and retail meat shops. However, most municipal slaughter houses lack modern machinery and equipment with inadequate attention to hygiene and sanitation.
Facilities for effluent treatment and waste disposal in these traditional slaughter houses are also far from satisfactory. The utilization of slaughter house byproducts such as skins, edible offal, blood and bristles is low and lacks the desired level of quality.
Alarmed by the condition of slaughter establishments, a number of public interest litigation (PILs) has been filed in the SC seeking directions to state governments as well as the Centre to effectively implement statutory rules relating to prevention of cruelty to animals and pollution control.
The SC had in August last year had directed all state governments and UTs to constitute committees for slaughterhouses, to fulfill mandatory requirements under various legislations dealing with the functioning of abattoirs.
On its part, the Centre has taken several steps to enhance production of safe meat and generate awareness about issues related to food safety, standard, hygiene and animal welfare.
"The ministry of food processing industries (MoFPI) has been implementing an infrastructure scheme for modernization of abattoirs... The ministry has introduced a scheme for modernization of meat shops, under which a grant of Rs 5 lakh can be given by state governments for modernization of each meat shop," the agriculture ministry said in a statement on Monday.
It said the state governments have been asked to identify cities where this scheme will be started in 2013-14.
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