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Lucknow: The Allahabad high court has said it is an obligation of the Uttar Pradesh government to establish and run modernised slaughter houses in the state and directed authorities to issue new licenses as per rules.
Considering that licences for meat shops and slaughter houses can be granted under the Food Safety Act 2006, the Lucknow bench of the high court in its interim order asked the applicants of licences to apply accordingly.
In case the local authorities find any difficulty in doing so, they can approach the state government for proper guidance, it said.
The court also directed a high powered committee to consider the aspects set forth in the verdict and formulate the policy in the matter of slaughtering and licensing to meat shops.
A bench of justices A P Sahi and Sanjai Harkauli passed the directives on a bunch of writ petitions filed individually. The petitioners had demanded that their meat shop licences which had expired on March 31 be renewed. They had pleaded that the state in fact wanted to close down slaughter houses and therefore it issued an order on March 22.
The petitioners submitted that the state’s act has forced the closure of meat business which was their constitutional right. The act of the state indirectly put unreasonable restriction on taste of food of a citizen which cannot be permitted.
Citing an apex court guideline, it was also pointed out that in compliance whereof the central and state governments had released funds for establishment of modern abattoirs but the present government was lagging behind in the steps.
