PIL seeking establishment of modern slaughter houses
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 31: Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Sindhu Sharma has granted week’s time to Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the NGO SAVE (Save Animal Value Environment) to file response to the status report filed by Advocate Sachin Gupta on behalf of Jammu Municipal Corporation pursuant to the last order passed on July, 25, 2018.
These directions were passed in the PIL filed by SAVE through its Chairperson Davinder Kaur Madaan alias Rumpy Madaan seeking closure of unregulated, unregistered and unlicensed slaughter houses and meat shops in the State.
The PIL also seeks directions to the State to establish modern slaughter houses in both the capital cities outside the municipal limits as per the directions of the Apex Court in Laxmi Narayan Modi’s case.
When the PIL came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Supriya Chouhan and Suraj Singh appearing for the petitioner submitted that JMC pursuant to the last order has filed a status report enclosing therein a comprehensive action plan for organization and management of slaughter houses and meat shops within the limits of JMC.
It is disclosed in the status report that sanction cost for the modernization of both the slaughter houses (Gujjar Nagar and Dogra Hall) was accessed to the tune of Rs 2875.19 lakhs and Ministry of Food Processing, Govt. of India has already sanctioned an amount of Rs.1500 lakhs for establishment of these modern slaughter houses at Jammu.
The status report further says that Commissioner JMC vide letter No.MJ/Estt/S/276 dated August 3, 2018 has requested the Financial Commissioner Housing and Urban Development Department to accord approval to take up the work through Police Housing Corporation and release the funds to the tune of Rs.1375.19 lakhs under State Sector for timely execution of the project.
At this stage, the Division Bench expressed serious concern over the establishment of modern slaughter houses in the densely populated localities of Gujjar Nagar and Dogra Hall. The Division Bench was of the view as to why huge public funds are being spent for slaughter houses within the limits of JMC and why not on the peripheries of the city.
The Division Bench after considering submissions advanced at bar by Advocate S S Ahmed sought his assistance and directed him to file his response to the status report filed by JMC.
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