Patna High Court. File photo
By Neeraj KumarÂ
Patna: Patna High Court on Monday heard a public interest litigation seeking a ban on the open sale of meat and fish in violation of rules across Patna and its adjoining areas. A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahu directed the State Government to clarify the steps being taken towards the construction of slaughterhouses in different parts of the capital.
During the hearing of the petition filed by senior advocate Sanjeev Kumar Mishra, the court also asked the Patna Municipal Corporation to furnish details regarding the status of slaughterhouses in various wards of the city. The Bench observed that each ward should have a modern and hygienic slaughterhouse.
The court emphasised that it is the constitutional responsibility of the municipal corporation to maintain proper sanitation in the city. Ensuring public health and providing a clean and hygienic environment are among its fundamental duties. In previous hearings, the court had repeatedly sought action-taken reports from the civic body. Earlier, the corporation had informed the court that a Hyderabad-based construction company had proposed to build slaughterhouses in Patna.
In earlier submissions, the municipal corporation stated that sites for the construction and development of modern slaughterhouses had been identified and the tendering process was underway. During the hearing, senior advocate Mishra informed the court that meat and fish were being slaughtered and sold in unhygienic conditions and in violation of regulations in several parts of Patna and other areas of the state.
He argued that such practices adversely affect public health and also have a negative psychological impact on children who are exposed to the open slaughter of animals. The petitioner urged the court to direct the municipal corporation to immediately shut down illegal and openly operating slaughterhouses.
The court was further informed that open sale of meat and fish in violation of norms was taking place in areas such as Raja Bazaar, Pataliputra, Rajiv Nagar, Boring Canal Road, Kurji, Digha, Gola Road and Kankarbagh. The petitioner stressed that the government should establish modern slaughterhouses equipped with proper facilities to ensure the availability of safe and hygienic meat, while also providing convenience to vendors.
The matter will now be taken up for further hearing after four weeks.
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