Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Even after five months of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s directive for ‘complete prohibition’ on display of animal carcasses in meat shops, the administration has not complied with it in the entire capital city so far. Around 1k meat sellers are in Bhopal.
An order has been implemented only in notified fish-meat market like Budhwara, Jahangirabad, Jawahar Chowk etc but in other parts, sellers are still trading meat and fish from open shops. Immediately after taking oath of office, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had taken the decision against shops selling meat and fish in the open and also those doing business without licence. Meat sellers were not allowed to operate within 100 metres of any religious place.
After instructions from the Chief Minister, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) had launched a massive drive to ensure its implementation. Rafiq Qureshi of Budhwara fish & meat market said, ‘Around 1k meat sellers are in Bhopal. They have covered the counter with opaque glasses. Those who have not done it, we are ensuring that they will also follow suit. Meat sellers have demanded the administration to arrange for multi-level buildings in different parts of the city from where they can do business. The areas include Kabitpura (Shahjahanabad), Jahangirabad, Islampura, Qazi Camp, and Nizamuddin Colony (BHEL). The BMC should construct these multi-level buildings and allot shops to meat traders.’
BMC’s additional commissioner Ranvir Singh said, ‘Around 75 per cent shop owners have installed opaque glasses at counters specially in main markets of meat like Budhwara, Jahangirabad and Jawahar Chowk. We still continue to monitor other markets. Initially, we had launched a massive campaign and even fined errant shopkeepers.’
