NEW DELHI: Amid ongoing controversy over opening of meat shops, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Thursday made it clear that there is no provision to shut meat shops on the kanwar yatra routes under the DMC ACT, 1957.
The statement came a day after Culture and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said that meat shops would remain shut along the Yatra routes, claiming the decision was taken jointly by the Delhi government and the MCD.
Speaking during an inspection from Apsara Border to Karol Bagh, Mishra said, “The MCD has taken a decision, and the government has also decided that all the meat shops will be closed.”
The Kanwar Yatra, scheduled from July 11 to 25, will see lakhs of devotees passing through the capital from UP, Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi.
In a written reply during the MCD House proceedings, the civic body clarified that while there is no legal provision to enforce closure, in recent years, shop owners have voluntarily kept their establishments closed during the pilgrimage.
“Regional offices have been directed to run a special campaign against illegal animal slaughter and open sale of meat to ensure no religious sentiments are hurt,” the reply said during the proceedings. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh echoed this position: “We will request owners to voluntarily shut their shops. This is about mutual respect among communities.” However, Singh added, “Those without valid licences will not be allowed to operate.”
MCD has set up 25 Kanwar camps, deployed 22 doctors with 10 on-call specialists, and appointed 62 support staff. Twelve mobile dental vans will offer 24x7 services.
Extra sanitation teams and equipment have been deployed, with water tankers and suction machines stationed along the routes to ensure hygiene and prevent waterlogging.