NEW DELHI: The Delhi HC on Thursday warned civic authorities of contempt action over illegal slaughter at the Ghazipur chicken market, terming the situation “horrifying”.
The court recalled that it had banned illegal slaughter at the Ghazipur Murga Mandi in September 2018.
A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia directed the MCD and other concerned authorities to file replies within two weeks.
The direction came while hearing a contempt petition alleging non-compliance with the 2018 order. The court asked the authorities to place on record a detailed affidavit on steps taken to ensure compliance.
“Please ensure that this is done. This is horrifying,” the bench observed. The remarks followed the court’s perusal of photographs placed on record by the petitioner. Animal welfare activist Gauri Maulekhi claimed the earlier order was being openly violated. Counsel for the MCD told the court that action had been taken against erring establishments. The counsel assured that strict steps would be initiated against any slaughterhouse operating without a licence.
2018 order banned slaughter
In its, 2018 order, the HC had taken serious note of environmental violations and prohibited slaughtering of birds, allowing only the sale of live birds until a compliant market is established.