Board decision faced strong objections from citizens citing gross violation of animal welfare laws
PANAJI
More than five months after categorising meat shops under “Green Category” industry, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has suspended its decision after being criticised for permitting animal slaughter in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals Act, 1960.
The Board during its meeting held in December, last year, approved to categorise chicken and mutton shops and centres under Green Category, after the effluent of waste water samples collected from some shops and calculated score Index was within the green category norms.
“Keeping in mind the Precautionary Principle of Environmental Jurisprudence, the Board was of the considerable opinion that it will be necessary to presently suspend the operations of the decision taken by the GSPCB during its 160th meeting regarding re-categorisation of chicken/ mutton shops/ centres in the State of Goa as Green Category industry,” the Board resolved during its meeting held last month.
Following the Board decision in December, it received several representations from lawyers, Animal Welfare Board, People for Animal Policy Foundation and others.
In their submission, they pointed out that when the slaughter houses are categorised under “Red” industries, the slaughter of chicken and goat is permitted through green industry tagging.
Lawyer Atish Mandrekar in a submission to the Board said that it has permitted the slaughter of animals and birds in the chicken/ mutton shops/ centres in the State which is in gross violation of the established law particularly, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 as well as judgements passed by the NGT.
He also said that permitting such slaughtering activity in the absence of adequate pollution control measures will cause severe environmental and health hazards in the vicinity.
Accordingly, the Board admitted the submissions and decided to suspend its decision.
The Board had earlier said that as per the guidelines of Central Pollution Control Board, cutting of birds is not categorised (i.e. red, orange, green), and hence the State Board initiated the exercise to categorise the same.
The decision was based in consultation with members of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board. The GSPCB had also directed the shops that waste water should be disposed of in septic tanks or soak pits for individual units.
