- Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura
Tripura High Court has directed the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) to initiate immediate steps in stopping illegal slaughtering and sale of animal products such as meat as well as fish on the pavements at various locations without a license.
A division bench led by Chief Justice Indrajit Mohanty and Justice Satya Gopal Chattopadhyay was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Ankan Tilak Paul on behalf of the petitioner advocate Arijit Bhaumik.
Through an affidavit, the petitioner asserted that there is the illegal sale of fleshes of poultry and fish publicly throughout Agartala city without valid license or permission from Municipal Corporation violating Section 187/188/189 of the Tripura Municipal Act, 1994.
The division bench directed AMC and its enforcement wing to upraise all such vendors throughout Agartala to move to locations where permission may be considered by Municipal Corporation and to carry out the trade in a manner that is hygienic, sanitary as well as appropriate for human consumption.
“Such exercise is carried out forthwith and action be immediately initiated to stop the illegal sale at various locations where they are operating without the necessary license,” – the court observed.
The counsel representing the state submitted that the tender has been awarded in favor of a party for setting up the Slaughterhouse, Abattoir, but there has been a delay in construction of the Slaughterhouse, Abattoir on account of the pandemic.
The court also granted the state two weeks’ time to file an affidavit within the schedule of completion of the Slaughterhouse, Abattoir, and the Agartala Municipality was directed to file an affidavit to this effect within 4 weeks. The next hearing of this case will be held on December 14 again.
