Chicken slaughter banned at Ghazipur murga mandi by Delhi HC

There will be no more slaughtering of birds in East Delhi's Ghazipur murga mandi as the Delhi High Court has banned it. However, the court in its interim order, however, has allowed only selling of live birds in the area. An HC bench comprising Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao reportedly directed, "Taking note of the circumstances and the inaction of the authorities, we have no option but to direct that in the Ghazipur murga mandi, no slaughtering of birds will be permitted henceforth. Only sale of birds will be permitted." 
 
The court directive came after hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging that poultry birds are being traded and slaughtered illegally at the Ghazipur mandi. The HC asked the authorities concerned to file within a week the compliance report on its order.
 
According to PTI report, the authorities were directed to come up with a plan to set up a designated slaughter house in the area, and said that till then the interim order will remain in operation.
 
Earlier on April 24, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) conducted an inspection of the mandi and submitted its report highlighting the violations. The DPCC, represented by advocate Sanjeev Ralli, had reportedly directed the closure of the slaughterhouses operating from inside the Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board (DAMB) premises at the mandi.
 
The court took notice that even after five months the slaughtering is continuing.
 
The traders' counsel reportedly submitted that if slaughtering is banned the birds will be sold to individual shopkeepers and the activity will continue. He also added the ban will also affect traders' livelihood.
 
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Meanwhile, the HC said that it cannot permit anything which is contrary to law, as the activities are causing water pollution.