Crackdown on illegal meat sellers in city

Hyderabad: A large number of shop owners are being slapped with penalties for selling unhygienic meat. GHMC Veterinary division is carrying out widespread continuous inspections to check sale of unauthorised meat.

Veterinary, medical and food safety officers have so far imposed Rs 2.28 lakh fine on 1,728 members for selling unauthorised and unhygienic meat to the public in the city in 2018-2019. During the raids, 1,798 kg of meat and 6,892 kg of beef were seized. The officials added that they would continue raids on illegal and unauthorised slaughter houses in the city with the help of police.

At present, there are steps to provide quality food through proper surveillance and supervision over the supply of hotels and restaurants in the city. The veterinary division has made it clear that every hotel, restaurants and at function halls, food must be taken out from the modern slaughterhouse by the GHMC as a mandate.

The recently announced Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 stipulate that a large quantity of waste generating from hotels, restaurants and functional hubs are required to set up compost plants for the production of organic fertilisers using their waste.

Five modern slaughterhouses were constructed with an amount of Rs 68.24 crore in the city at Ramnaspura, Amberpet, Jiaguda and New Boiguda where meat slaughter takes place. Similarly, the second largest rendering plant in India is made in the sequence to treat the waste of animal wastes.

Veterinary department officials warned the public that meat from unauthorised slaughterhouse are sold at many hotels, restaurants and function halls in the city, due to which causes illness to the consumers, hence, they should consume meat only from the GHMC-authorised slaughterhouses. GHMC has made clear that it will take appropriate steps to regulate the violations.