Meat shops to down shutters from Oct 15

GUWAHATI, Oct 12: The Greater Guwahati Qureshi Meat Association (GGQMA) has decided to keep shutters of their meat shops down for an unspecified period from October 15, 2018.

The association took the decision for the closure of meat shops close on the heels of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) sealing three meat shops in Guwahati recently for non-compliance of the norms of the new Slaughter House Act. The association says that the three meat shops were sealed by the civic body without any prior notice.

The GMC implemented the Slaughter House Act following a directive from the Gauhati High Court. NEC Food Processing Private Ltd took the government slaughter house located at Khanapara on lease. There is an agreement reached between the GMC, NEC Food Processing Private Ltd and the slaughter houses of the city regarding rates of meat after a series of discussions. However, till now there are a few areas where the parties involved are yet to bridge the gaps between them.

Talking to the media here on Friday, GGQMA president Muslim Ali and general secretary Mokbul Ali said that they are not opposed to abide by the directive of the High Court of selling meat cut in NEC Food Processing Private Ltd. “However, many clauses of the Act are not being followed by the civic body and NEC Food Processing Private Ltd. While slaughter houses in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Surat etc charge Rs 40 for cutting a goat, here in Guwahati we have to pay Rs 120 per goat. We also want the rate to be Rs 40 per goat here in Guwahati as well,” Ali said.