Fresh guidelines issued for operating meat shops in Agra

AGRA: The district administration on Friday issued new guidelines for operating meat shops in the city. Meat vendors have been directed to stay away from 50-meter-radius and 100 meter from the main gate of religious places. They cannot slaughter any animal or poultry bird inside the shop, besides they have to use curtains/tinted glass and ensure that meat is not visible to public. All persons working in such shop will have to obtain health certificatefrom government doctors.

For obtaining licences in urban area, applicants will have to first obtain no objection certificate from the respective circle officer and the municipal corporation. Following that they will apply for NOC from food safety and drug administration (FSDA).

In rural areas, meat vendors will have to get NOC from gram panchayat, besides circle officer and FSDA. In case such shop owners are found flouting norms of Food safety and Standards Act, their licences could be suspended any time.

Meat vendors have also been directed not to slaughter any ill, milch or pregnant animal. They have also been asked to get their premises whitewashed every six months. All the knives and blades used in shops should be made of steel. They will also have to ensure proper record of met items procured from slaughter house and. Proper disposal of waste is another mandatory rule. Meat shops will have to keep refrigerator with transparent doors and also required to have geyser facility. Only veterinary doctor certified meat could be sold from such places. They will have to transport meat in insulated freeze vehicles from slaughter houses.

Moreover, they will have to stay away from places where vegetables are sold.