Tripura High Court: The Division Bench of Indrajit Mahanty and S.G. Chattopadhyay, JJ. issued directions for construction of slaughter houses and ensuring disposal in an appropriate scientific manner.
Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav (IAS), Municipal Commissioner, Agartala Municipal Corporation notified that a tender pertaining to construction of abattoir/slaughter house has already been floated on 21-02-2022. The time given for construction and its completion was expected to be within a period of 18 months. The tender was made in anticipation of financial sanction and the totals of 139 peeople were given trade licences for dealing with meat.
Court issued directions to the Corporation to prepare a long-term plan for not only setting up the abattoir/slaughter house but also for ensuring disposal of garbage in an appropriate scientific manner, rendering all authorities including the local police authorities for enforcing/assisting in carrying out its duties, considering application for licenses and disposing of at an early date so that people are not deprived of essential needs, maintaining hygienic conditions and carrying out inspection of all the license premises. Sale of meat products is restricted in public places and streets.
Court also gave directions to AMC for providing locations where slaughter could be carried out till the slaughter house was made operational and such locations be appraised to the licensee concerned. Appropriate bins were to be provided to all licensees where they could collect all waste material for disposal through the AMC disposal system. The assistance of the Veterinary Department to post few of their officials who shall be given the authority to certify the quality of meat or meat products was also to be made available for public sale.
The pollution control authority was directed to carry out necessary steps to assist the Municipal authorities in maintaining sanitation and hygiene of all these areas. The Court directed AMC alongwith the Health officials to visit all the hospitals and/or nursing homes to find out the method of disposal of polluting materials generated from the hospitals.
The need for additional resources and/or location for setting up of additional sewage treatment plants to meet the needs of the entire expanding city were also expressed.
The Court directed the Finance Department to provide all necessary financial support for conducting the activities as well as the construction of the abattoir/slaughter house for which tender has already been floated at the earliest.
The AMC was further directed to bring to the notice of the Forest Department, particularly Chief Wildlife Warden any sale of banned endangered species of animals and in that event the Forest Department shall take all necessary steps to ensure that such sale does not take place and necessary steps in accordance with law shall be initiated by them.[Ankan Tilak Paul v. State of Tripura, 2022 SCC OnLine Tri 105, decided on 22-02-2022]
For Petitioner(s): Mr Ankan Tilak Paul
For Respondent(s): Mr T.D. Majumder, Sr. Advocate and Mr Tapash Halam