BENGALURU: Several meat shops in the city, which had remained open despite orders from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to shut shop on the occasion of Sarvodaya Day (Martyrs’ Day), are likely to face action from the civic body.
The BBMP had issued a circular on Friday ordering the closure of all slaughterhouses and sale of meat on January 30 as part of Sarvodaya Day, to mark the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Sale as well as slaughter was prohibited across the City and state on Saturday, the BBMP order said.
However, The New Indian Express noticed that several meat shops — including those who slaughter and hang the meat on hooks for sale — remained open across the city. A senior police official also said that they had a meeting with the meat sellers and told them not to open shops as a mark of respect for Mahatma Gandhi.
Interestingly, a meat shop owner in Shivaji Nagar, Sikandar M, told TNIE, “We had taken permission and thus our shop was open. Neither police nor the BBMP approached me to ask me to close the shop.” Several meat stall owners said they had not received any such orders.
A senior police officer to whose notice this was brought, said, “If it comes to our notice that they were selling meat, action will be taken after discussing with our superiors.” A police official attached to the jurisdiction of Vyalikaval where several shops were openly selling meat, said that his police station had not received any circular from any department.
However, BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad was shocked to learn that many slaughterhouses and meat stalls had remained open, despite the orders and circular being issued. He said instructions will be issued to zonal health officials to check and action will be taken against all those who violated the rules on January 30. “It is not acceptable for people to say that they were unaware as the orders were issued and made available to all,” he said.