4,000 kg ‘illegal’ meat seized from market in Govandi; 3 vendors fined

Kena market, located opposite the abattoir, has both, licensed traders and unlicensed vendors who sell offal. “The problem is that in Kena market, some traders source body parts from outside of Mumbai and sell them illegally,” said Dr Shivali Gangavane, senior veterinary officer from BMC’s markets department

Mumbai:

4,000 kg ‘illegal’ meat seized from market in Govandi; 3 vendors fined

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) markets department has seized nearly 4,000 kg of allegedly illegal goat and sheep meat from the Kena market in Govandi west over the past one week. The seized meat comprises offal such as head, legs, brain and intestines of goat and sheep slaughtered outside Mumbai, the sale of which is deemed illegal by BMC officials based on a 2019 high court order. Penal action has been taken against three illegal traders in Kena market who did not have licences, said officials.

In December 2019, the Bombay high court upheld BMC’s decision of confining slaughter of animals within the city to the Deonar abattoir, the only recognised slaughterhouse within the jurisdiction of the corporation. Vendors who sell meat and offal after must obtain a license from BMC’s markets department, where it is assumed that they will source their stock from animals slaughtered in the Deonar abattoir and not elsewhere, said officials. Stocking and sale of meat and offal from animals slaughtered elsewhere are deemed illegal based on the high court order, they added.

Kena market, located opposite the abattoir, has both, licensed traders and unlicensed vendors who sell offal. “The problem is that in Kena market, some traders source body parts from outside of Mumbai and sell them illegally,” said Dr Shivali Gangavane, senior veterinary officer from BMC’s markets department. Consuming this meat posed significant health hazards as rats roamed freely in the shops, she added.

Section 410 (1) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, authorises the BMC to take action against unauthorised importation, slaughtering or sale of animals. Under this section,

officials from the markets department raided the Kena market over three days with the help of local police, staff of M East ward’s license department and assistant engineer (conservancy).

Illegal meat was seized from the market on all three days even though vendors were given advance warning before and between the raids. “We unofficially told the sellers to follow the legal way,” said Gangavane. On January 29 and 30, officials spotted two vehicles carrying illegal meat, and confiscated both consignments. They warned vendors in the market again, but on January 31, they spotted another huge vehicle entering the market.

“We saw the vehicle supply the illegal meat to shops in a row, one after the other. So, we raided the shops, checked their deep freezers and saw they were stocked with goat legs (commonly used to make paya soup). The vendors had even encroached outside their shops,” she said.

Penal action was initiated by the BMC against three unlicensed traders – they were fined ₹2,500 each and all their equipment was confiscated. In all, six deep freezers, 21 LPG cylinders, nine utensils and other items were seized during the raids. Encroachments were removed under the supervision of the assistant engineer of ‘M East’ division, while the confiscated meat was destroyed as per usual procedure. “Some powder was sprinkled on the meat by our doctors and it was sent to the Deonar dumping ground,” said Gangavane.