MCG, police to ensure closure of meat shops

Police personnel and members of the municipal corporation constituted teams and issued instructions to ground officers to ensure all meat shops are shut on Tuesday, after a decision in this regard was taken at the civic body's House meeting last Thursday

Police personnel and members of the municipal corporation constituted teams and issued instructions to ground officers to ensure all meat shops are shut on Tuesday, after a decision in this regard was taken at the civic body's House meeting last Thursday.

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Ashish Singla, chief medical officer of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), who oversees the issuance of licences to meat shops, besides fining and sealing illegal ones, said that the civic body teams will issue a warning to those who do not comply and get them to close the shop. “As we are starting enforcement starting Tuesday, we will only conduct a survey and check the response. Any meat shop found open this Tuesday will be issued a warning but if the same shop is found open next Tuesday as well, then we will impose a fine,” he said.

The MCG on Monday constituted 70 teams, each comprising four officials, to ensure closure of shops and identify violators, officials familiar with the developments said.

The decision to close meat shops was taken in MCG’s budget meeting last Thursday. Two councillors raised the issue citing religious sentiments and after long deliberation, the proposal was approved. There are nearly 129 licensed meat shops in the city, with as many as 150 more operating illegally, according to MCG officials.

“After a first warning, they will be penalised ₹5,000 for a subsequent offence, and if they continue to remain open for at least four consecutive weeks, there is a possibility of sealing their shops,” Singla said.

Pritam Bhagat, the president of Jacobpura meat shops association, said that the association will abide by the order and close the meat shops. “We are not left with any other option. We have to face the brunt of the new rule and will have to suffer losses. We have already requested the officials but no one is paying any heed to it. We are helpless,” he said.

Senior police officials also directed all station house officers to ensure law and order situation in their area on Tuesday. “We will take action against those who try to take the law and order situation in hand and is found violating peace in the city. We have received the order for the same and would ensure better coordination with the MCG teams,” said Usha Kundu, assistant commissioner of police, headquarters.

The police said that most of the meat shops are located in Badshahpur, Khandsa, Chakkarpur and Jacobpura, near Sadar market. Around 300 police personnel will be deployed in these areas from 8am on Tuesday.

MCG officials also said that they will be examining the provisions of the Haryana Municipal Corporation by-laws, 2008, to see if online meat delivery stores also come under the purview.