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New Delhi: On September 24, 2018, the Delhi High Court banned the killing of birds in the huge Ghazipur murga mandi (chicken market) in the national capital. The court cited grim findings from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on numerous health violations and waste disposal in the market, and called for the removal of slaughterhouses that operate there “illegally.” “.

The court also ordered the creation of a designated slaughterhouse and that only the sale of live birds be allowed in the mandi.

Three years later, however, the stench and rubbish of death still dominates the area. When ThePrint visited Ghazipur murga mandi this week the kites were flying low, looking to scavenge food from the market. On the ground, stray dogs nosed around abandoned carcasses, feathers, bones.

It was a busy day at the market, with men briskly snatching chickens by the legs of their tiny cages and slaughtering them in stores lined up in narrow lanes.

Workers would deposit the waste generated – mainly guts and feathers – in rickshaws and transport it for disposal in a nearby drain. As for blood, brooms and water were the only cleaning products, causing red-tinged puddles to form in front of stores.

Here, photography is not allowed and women are not allowed to enter the market. The ThePrint reporter was unable to get out of the car, which was parked in the middle of the market, while the photojournalist was not allowed to click on the images.

Ghazipur slaughterhouses are located on the premises of the Delhi Agricultural Management Board (DAMB), whose chairman is Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai.

ThePrint has reached Gopal Rai via WhatsApp messages and calls, but there has been no response at the time of this report’s publication. Mayor Shyam Sunder Agarwal of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), who heads the mandi, said he would look into the matter.

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History of violations

India has a framework of rules that govern the slaughter of animals – Rules for the prevention of cruelty to animals (slaughterhouses). These guidelines establish certain hygiene standards and ensure the proper handling of animals.

Among other things, the rules require that the emptying and collection of blood at a slaughterhouse be “immediate and appropriate”. They also demand “the immediate elimination of the legs, horns, hooves and
other animal parts by spring-loaded floor chutes or side doors or closed wheelbarrows ”, and“ adequate facilities for hand washing, sterilization of tools and washing of floors and separation devices and immediate disposal of condemned material ”.

In February 2017, the Supreme Court ordered state governments and UTs to follow the compendium of rules and statutes for slaughterhouses, including complying with infrastructure requirements and the provisions of water laws and the air.

On August 4, 2018, the Office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), East Delhi, notified DAMB to stop the massacres in Ghazipur.

This notice came after the DPCC inspected the area twice and found it to be causing severe air and water pollution. Soon after, the Delhi High Court also issued an order banning the killing of birds at the site and ruled that only live birds could be sold here.

In January 2019, the DPCC authorized the slaughterhouses to operate under certain conditions in place, but in November of the same year, it revoked the authorization due to a lack of compliance.

The Delhi Slaughterhouse Oversight Committee appointed by the Supreme Court also inspected the area in August 2019 and December 2020 and found that the waste was still poorly disposed of in a nearby body of water and blood was flushed into them. sewers.

In November 2021, the panel submitted a report to the Delhi Urban Development Committee, recommending that the DPCC test groundwater and air pollution caused by slaughterhouses.

A question of “shame”

Gauri Maulekhi, an animal rights activist and Supreme Court-appointed panel member, told ThePrint that Ghazipur murga mandi was a matter of “shame”.

“The people of Delhi should be offended by what is happening in this hell. He adds to the pollution of the city’s air and water and serves them meat from an extremely unsanitary and cruel source. Good quality meat is exported and the people of Delhi don’t taste it, even though this industry runs on their hard-earned money, ”she said.

Maulekhi then described how the Ghazipur murga mandi contributes to air and water pollution.

“According to the law of nature, any creature that dies becomes a powerful place for pathogens to thrive. The blood that flows after the slaughter is simply thrown into this illegal facility that does not meet the mandates of air and water laws. When you enter Ghazipur murga mandisuddenly your eyes will start to cry and you may cough. This is due to the huge amounts of ammonia being generated there from feces, carcasses, etc. Maulekhi said.

She also highlighted the water pollution caused by the discharge of offal and blood into water bodies and sewers, as well as the increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases. “Dengue mosquitoes probably won’t thrive in the water more comfortably than they do here. It is very nutritious and healthy for insects, it is a small paradise for them.

Lawyer Priyanka Bangari, who is also a member of the Supreme Court committee, said the authorities should be convicted of contempt of court decisions. “All authorities blatantly violate court orders. The massacres continue in Ghazipur in broad daylight. The president of the DAMB, the commissioner of the EDMC, the head of the veterinary service – they should be tried for contempt of court.

“I will definitely think about it”

When ThePrint approached EDMC Mayor Shyam Sunder Agarwal for comment, he said he was not aware of any ban on slaughtering animals in Ghazipur. “It’s perfectly legal. I am not aware of any prohibitions by the High Court or the DPCC.

After receiving the order from the High Court, he said he would look into the matter. “I’m not in Delhi at the moment, I will be back and will definitely look into it. It is not our intention to disobey courts like this, ”he added.

The president of the Ghazipur Wholesale Poultry Association, Salauddin, also said he was not aware of any broken rules.

“This is a court case, so I won’t comment. Please contact the agricultural council about this. The murga mandi is not a private facility – it was put in place by the government, and we just do whatever the government allows or does not allow.

(Edited by Asavari Singh)

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