BHUBANESHWAR: The
National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC) has sought reports from
Bhubaneswar municipal corporation
(BMC) and
Cuttack municipal corporation
(CMC) in the matter related to functioning of unhygienic and illegal butcher houses in twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
The Commission passed this order on February 5 after hearing a petition filed by lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy.
He alleged that flesh, bone and blood of animals are being directly thrown into the drain due to lack of facilities for waste material management.
He said similar situations are also seen in other parts of the state. Operating a butcher house without the permission of the State Pollution Control Board is equivalent to the murder of animals illegally, he added.
The Commission took cognizance of the case and passed orders to govt several times. On October 19 last year, BMC commissioner in his report stated that modern abattoirs at Gadakana were not functional due to unwillingness of nearby shops and markets.
“BMC is undertaking awareness drives to undertake enforcement activities in the city. It has also constructed a modern meat market at Unit 4 with all modern amenities for the sale of meat products in a hygienic way. The veterinary doctors, enforcement team, and officials of the food safety and standards authority of India (FSSAI) engaged in the BMC area are moving around in a regular interval to enforce the rules and regulations. Various awareness/enforcement drives are being taken to keep a check on the irregularities,” said the report.
The Commission has considered the report submitted by the BMC. “The registry of the NHRC is directed to transmit a copy of the report to the complainant, calling for the comment, if any within four weeks, positively. In case, the response from the complainant is not received within the stipulated time, the Commission shall proceed further on the basis of documents available on record,” read the order.
The NHRC has also transmitted comments of the complainants to commissioners of BMC and CMC for submission of additional report in the matter within four weeks.
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