(IN): Sale of meat in open poses health hazards

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4860623.cms Sale of meat in

open poses health hazardsAshraf Jamal, TNN 5 August 2009, 10:36pm IST

ALLAHABAD: Unchecked sale of meat in scores of shops in the city under the

`watchful eyes' of the civic and police authorities poses a major

health hazard

for non-vegetarians and vegetarians alike. While those who relish non-veg

delicacies are at the risk of contracting stomach-related ailments owing to

the substandard quality of meat, the vegetarians are exposed to the risk of

several other ailments as the unused portions are discarded by meat

shopowners in the open with scant regard for hygiene and health of people

living in the vicinity.

 

In fact, even authorities of Allahabad Municipal Corporation are oblivious

of the actual number of meat shops in the city, hence the question of

realising licence fee from the shops does not arise. In addition, the

mandatory precautions to be initiated for selling meat are not being

followed in the vast majority of shops. As a fall out, diseased goats are

slaughtered and the meat is sold in unhygienic conditions.

 

The shopkeepers selling meat have mushroomed in the city owing to the rise

of the people turning toward mutton, beef and chicken to satiate their taste

buds. However, the people continue to purchase meat from these shops without

being aware about its quality. These shopkeepers also dupe the authorities

of Allahabad Municipal Corporation by not paying the licence fees.

 

According to an estimate, there are about 350 shops in the whole city in

which there are about 50 mutton shops while there are about 300 shops

selling beef. But due to the lackadaisical attitude of Allahabad Municipal

Corporation authorities, licence fees from these shops have been collected

from only some selected shops. Further, the staff of Allahabad Municipal

Corporation has also been slack in collecting the licence fees from the

shop.

 

Pointedly, these shops are found in the areas of Atala, Kareli, Garhi Kala,

Chowk, Ahmedganj, Akbarpur, Nakhas Kohna, Garhi Sarai, Colonelganj, Katra,

Teliarganj, Govindpur and other areas of the city.

 

It is also quite paradoxical that the licence fees for the mutton shop is a

paltry Rs 50 while for the beef shop is about Rs 300 per year though the

price of mutton is considerably higher in comparison to that of beef.

However, even after such low licence fees, these shopowners are in no mood

to shell out money for making licences.

 

According to sources from Allahabad Municipal Corporation, only 142 licences

have been made out of the total 350 meat shops in the city. The enthusiasm

of the beef shops for making the licences is less compared to the mutton

sellers as only 21 beef sellers have turned up at AMC for making the

licences out of the estimated 300 beef shopowners.

 

It is not that the meat sellers of the city are not paying licence fees to

AMC but there are some shops of Allahabad Municipal Corporation itself

located on the KN Katju Road which have not paid money to the Corporation.

There are about 40 to 45 shops of Allahabad Municipal Corporation which are

selling meat who have to pay monthly charges of about Rs 400 per month. But

these meat sellers have not paid the money to the AMC due to lackadaisical

approach of AMC authorities.

 

Talking to TOI, Dr C P Singh Kushwaha, in charge of the animal husbandry

department observed that we would start a drive to check the unauthorised

shops selling meats. However, he claimed that there are less number of

unauthorised shops. He also added that a drive would also be initiated for

making of the licence fees for the meat shops and ensuring that the meat is

sold under hygienic conditions.

 

 

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