HC asks UP govt to issue new licenses, renew old ones

The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Friday directed the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh government to commission new licenses for slaughterhouses and renew old ones only if they comply with the norms. While directing the Uttar Pradesh government to issue fresh licences for abattoirs, the Allahabad High Court made it clear that right to non-veg food cannot be denied. "It's responsibility of government to ensure construction of slaughterhouses," said the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court.

In March, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court sought a reply from Uttar Pradesh government and Lucknow Nagar Nigam on the closure of meat shops and non-renewal of the license of meat shops. The court also rapped the Lucknow Municipal Corporation asking why the authorities concerned not take any initiative in time to renew the licences of meat shops.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Shahbuddin and nine other meat traders, who had pleaded in 2015 in the court that they had the licence to run the shops. As their licences had expired two years ago, they applied for the renewal but the LMC rejected their request citing the National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines, which say that the slaughterhouses should be run by the municipal authorities. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered to shut all illegal abattoirs across the Uttar Pradesh.