Bombay High Court directs authorities to ensure no illegal slaughter of animals occurs during Bakrid [Read Orders]

In response to two separate petitions, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the concerned civic authorities to ensure that slaughtering of animals (as part of religious practices during Bakrid) is undertaken only at licensed slaughterhouses and at specified hours. .One case was a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by an NGO Jiv Maitri Trust challenging a notification issued by the Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) granting permission to 38 temporary slaughterhouses to sacrifice animals during Bakrid. (Jiv Maitri Trust v. State of Maharashtra & Ors.).Granting an order of stay on the notification, the Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni stated:."No slaughtering of animals shall be allowed except in recognized or licensed slaughter houses and that too in accordance with the statutory rules and the guidelines/decisions of the competent Courts of law. And in case of any violation appropriate action shall be taken by the civil, municipal and police administration.".Advocate Raju Gupta, for the NGO, stated that the BNMC's notification was illegal and in contravention of provisions under the Food Safety and Standards Act, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules. It also contravened the orders of the Apex Court, the High Court was told. .Since the flesh of the animal slaughtered was distributed amongst poor people on the occasion of Bakrid for consumption, Gupta raised concerns that the illegal abattoirs may not follow basic hygiene and waste disposal protocols leading to health concerns. .Advocate NR Bubna, representing BNMC, opposed the plea. He informed the Court that the Commissioner was aware of the rules and that temporary slaughterhouses would be connected with the licensed slaughterhouses to ensure that animal sacrifices do not take place in public places. .The Court, however, observed that the Deputy Commissioner had opposed the Commissioner's stand and had refused to grant approval to start a temporary slaughterhouse on special grounds of the pandemic without obtaining any permission from the State government and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. In light of this, the notification was stayed. .Another Bench of the High Court comprising of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar heard a writ petition filed by NGO Gau Gyan Foundation seeking criminal action against illegal marketing of livestock in the Mumbra area of Thane district, Maharashtra for the purpose of qurbaani during Bakrid. (Gau Gyan Foundation v. State of Maharashtra & Anr.).Issuing notice in the plea, the Bench directed the Commissioner of Thane Police to ensure that no illegal slaughter of animal takes place within the jurisdiction of the Mumbra police station. ."We are of the view that the slaughtering of the animals ought to be in conformity with the licenses issued by the competent authorities at designated places and during specified hours" the Bench stated in their order. .The petitioner registered grievance after discovering over 400 buffaloes in the livestock market purported to have been brought illegally, Advocate JS Kini, for the petitioner, informed the Court that the NGO had lodged complaints with the police station apprehending an imminent possibility of animals being slaughtered illegally. .Since no action had been taken on the complaints so far, the NGO approached the High Court for urgent interim relief and strict action..Both petitions were filed by advocates Mukesh Gupta, Hare Krishna Mishra, Dhruv Gupta, Satyaprakash Sharma and Shakuntala Sharma. .[Read orders]