New Delhi: While hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), the Delhi High Court on Monday banned slaughtering of chicken in the Ghazipur murga mandi in the national capital. The PIL alleged that poultry birds are being traded and slaughtered illegally at the Ghazipur mandi in east Delhi. The court in its interim order only permitted the selling of live birds in the area.
A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao, said, “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.”
Authorities have been asked to file the compliance report on its order within a week. The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging that poultry birds are being traded and slaughtered illegally at the Ghazipur mandi in east Delhi.
The Court noted that the inspection report submitted by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) highlighted the violations.
The petition filed by animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi has contended that besides creating pollution which leads to the spreading of infectious diseases such as avian flu, the conditions the birds are being kept in was pathetic.
The slaughterhouses were being operated from inside the AAP government’s Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board (DAMB) premises at the mandi.