Goa Meat Complex: Delhi NGO files HC plea

PANAJI: A Delhi based NGO Gau Gyan Foundation has turned its attention to the Goa Meat Complex and has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court at Goa accusing the government of running the abattoir without the mandatory licences.
In his petition, one Jagpreet Luthra a member of the foundation has said that “the Goa Meat Complex, has at no point in time obtained a license under the Slaughterhouse Rules of 2001, which itself makes operations of the slaughterhouse illegal.
In the petition, the foundation has alleged that authority to issue such license may again mechanically discharge their duties without proper inspection and compliance of the animal welfare and environmental legislation.
“The fit for slaughter certificate has also been issued mechanically without any application of mind regarding restricting cattle prohibited from slaughter in collusion with the other private (traders) involved in the business of meat,” the petition alleges.
“The manner in which the Goa Meat Complex has been functioning in the past few years, itself makes apparent that the autonomous body funded by the State and the central government is caving in to the pressure built by private entities such as the Quraishi Meat Traders Association of Goa and permitting slaughter in complete non-compliance of all the applicable laws,” the petition alleges.
The have sought directions from the High Court against restarting the slaughter of animals at Goa Meat Complex without removing deficiencies and irregularities in the Goa Meat Complex in the light of Environmental provisions and Slaughterhouse Rules, 2001.
In February this year, the Bombay High Court at Goa has expressed its disclosure at the repeated closure of the Goa Meat Complex which denied the meat traders their source of livelihood.
The Goa Meat Complex is the only placed notified as “authorised place” for slaughter of animals under Section 5 of the Goa Animal Preservation Act, 1995.
“If this is the only authorised place where the members of the Association can undertake the activities of slaughter of animals, then, it is the duty of the State of Goa and the Department of Animal Husbandry to ensure that the Goa Meat Complex is operational or that its operations are not hampered for the reasons which are easily avoidable,” the High Court ruled.
“We do not appreciate the hampering of the operations at the Goa Meat Complex for long stretches despite clear directions from this Court to ensure that the Goa Meat Complex is made operational,” the High Court had said.
“If the Goa Meat Complex is rendered inoperational for considerable periods of time like the period between November 2017 and August 2018, then, the same will certainly affect the fundamental rights of the members of the Association to carry on their trade and occupation,” the High Court had said.