It’s fishy business at Ludhiana meat shops

It was found that the meat shops in Ludhiana were keeping animals in squalid conditions and slaughtering and improperly freezingly them; in fact, rotten meat was being supplied to wedding venues

Raw chicken and meat businesses have come under the health department’s scanner after veterinary teams on Saturday found that rotten broilers and meats of ailing animals were being stored in unhygienic conditions and being supplied to wedding feasts.

A total 296kg of rotten meat was destroyed in Ludhiana meat shops during the raids and 19 challans were issued. (HT Photo)

A total 296kg of rotten meat was destroyed in the city during the raids and 19 challans were issued. Municipal corporation senior veterinary officer Dr Harbans Singh Dhalla said in several cases the meat had turned black and the same was to be served at weddings.

“At colonies near the Jalandhar Bypass, the veterinary team found that meat shop owners had created illegal slaughter houses in their shops. The animals were kept in unhygienic condition and their waste, including their coat and intestines, were being flushed directly into the discharge, which was contributing to frequent choking of sewerage in the area,” said Dhalla.

While Dhalla’s team raided shops in Zone C and Dr SM Yaseen’s team combed through Zones A and B . Yaseen’s team issued four challans and seized 116-kg chicken and mutton, while Dhalla’s team issued 15 challan in both zones and seized 180-kg raw meat, including chicken.Raw chicken can be stored for 24 to 32 hours, and 48 hours in a refrigerator.

Preparing frozen meat a skilled job

“The process of preparing frozen meat is a skilled job as moisture has to be removed, permitted preservatives added and the product maintained in a cold chain. However, it was seen that migrant workers with no expertise are slaughtering animals and packaging them in polythene bags without a care for technique or hygiene,” Dhalla said, adding that at one shop a pig that had died due to a disease was about to be cut, which was alarming.

Meanwhile, Non-vegetarian Shopkeepers’ Association president Sanjeev Kumar said, “I have no knowledge of the raids as I was out of town. However, we are following all guidelines laid down by the government.”