The Tripura High Court has issued an order prohibiting the public slaughter of animals and has instructed the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) to establish provisional facilities for the humane slaughter of animals. The order was issued on Tuesday by the High Court Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty. The court expressed concern about the quality of meat sold in markets and ordered government agencies, such as the Department of Animal Husbandry and the Pollution Control Board, to conduct regular inspections.
The AMC Commissioner, Sailesh Kumar Yadav, was ordered to appear in person before the High Court, and after hearing his arguments, a five-page order was issued. Yadav informed the court that a tendering process for the construction of a fully equipped slaughterhouse in the RK Nagar area is now ongoing, and the project is expected to be completed within 18 months.
The court ordered the AMC to devise a long-term strategy for not only constructing the abattoir/slaughterhouse but also ensuring that garbage is disposed of in a scientifically sound manner. All authorities, including the local police, were directed to provide the AMC with all necessary support in enforcing and/or helping it carry out its tasks.
The AMC stated that there are a total of 139 licensed meat-selling establishments, and if additional people apply for licenses, they will be considered and disposed of as soon as possible so that people's basic requirements are not jeopardized. The sale of meat products in public venues and/or on the streets should be prohibited, and the AMC will consider giving locations where slaughter can be carried out until the slaughterhouse is operational, and these locations will be assessed to the licensee in question.
The court directed the AMC, in collaboration with health officials, to examine all hospitals and/or nursing homes to determine how harmful materials created by the institutions are disposed of. The court emphasized the importance of scientific waste management and stated that if necessary, separate sewage treatment plants would be created to ensure that water sources were not contaminated by the junk produced during slaughtering.
The court also passed necessary directions to the finance department for the completion of the said projects on a priority basis. The Forest and Urban Development departments are also directed to play their part. The High Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by litigant Ankan Tilak Paul. The court ordered all agencies, including the police authorities and pollution control authorities, to provide all necessary assistance to carry out the said projects
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