No ban on goat slaughter but maintain hygiene, says Bombay HC

The division bench of justices SC Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel while hearing the petition was informed by the NGO’s counsel that the notification related to slaughtering issued by the BMC was in violation of the Aircraft Safety act, Cruelty to Animals Act and food safety norms

The Bombay high court (HC) has refused to ban slaughtering of goats during the Eid festival, but said they expect the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to maintain safety and hygiene standards in the overall interest of the population of the city. The court was hearing a petition filed by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) seeking a ban on slaughtering of animals outside licensed abattoirs.

The court was hearing a petition filed by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) seeking a ban on slaughtering of animals outside licensed abattoirs. (Photo: Shankar Narayan/ Hindustan Times)

The division bench of justices SC Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel while hearing the petition was informed by the NGO’s counsel that the notification related to slaughtering issued by the BMC was in violation of the Aircraft Safety act, Cruelty to Animals Act and food safety norms. The senior counsel said that as the seven non-vegetarian markets out of the 54 markets in the city that the BMC had designated as slaughter centres for Eid were within 10km of the airport, this violated the Aircraft Safety Act.

The counsel submitted that the BMC was also considering giving permissions for slaughtering animals at other places in the city, which included societies and individuals. She said this would pose a safety and hygiene hazard as there was no way in which the civic body could keep a check on whether pre- and post- slaughter precautions were taken by people involved in the slaughtering.

However, senior counsel Anil Sakhare for the BMC said objections about the proximity of the seven non-vegetarian markets to the airport were not maintainable as the Deonar abattoir, which was the main abattoir in the city, was located within 10km of the airport. Sakhare also added that permissions for slaughtering animals were being granted only after verifying if the applicant and designated slaughter centres had proper facilities.

After hearing both sides the HC said it expected the BMC to ensure standards are put in place. The HC is expected to pass its verdict on Tuesday.