Meat sellers on footpaths: A confused lot!

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, May 26: jim Ali was sitting on the footpath beside his meat shop on Basistha Road – dazed and confused. Somebody told him recently that the likes of him would be barred from selling meat openly.

Ali has been selling broiler meat on the footpaths for long eight years. He is not ready to take what he heard at its face value. “One of my relatives came to me the other day and said that this time we would be barred from selling meat on the footpaths. I am running a family of six with this business. I don’t have enough money to own a proper shop,” he said.

Flies and mosquitoes buzz around the skinned goats kept hung upside down at Baharul Islam’s shop. His shop is on the footpaths of Bhetapara Road. Locals even say that the meat Islam sells is even fed on by crows when he is not around. “Nobody told me before about the possible ban of sale of meat on footpaths. People from the GMC collect cash from me. I’m aware of possible health hazards, but people don’t refrain from buying meat from my shop. Now I have to shift to vegetable vending,” he said.

Jagadish comes from Jalukbari to Beltola Bazar to sell meat. He sets up a make-shift structure to sell broiler and local chicken. He makes a profit of Rs 500-700 a day. “I’m sure the administration will make necessary arrangements for our rehabilitation. Many of us are running families with this business. I’m not even fincially sound to set up a shop. I’ve no way out but to succumb,” he said.

Guwahati Mayor Mrigen Sarania is strict on the issue. He said that there would be no leniency in banning sale of meat on footpaths. “There’s no way out. Such shops have no option other than closing down. Public health is at risk. People, mainly belonging to weaker section of society, are doing this business. The fact is that they themselves are facing health hazards by consuming such meat and fish. On June 2 and 3 we’re going to conduct a drive against such shops,” he said.

Assam is doing without a poultry Act even today. It is high time that the state ected a poultry Act to check health hazards among meat and fish consumers and for people associated with the business.