SC seeks Centre’s response on slaughterhouses modernisation

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to file a “composite affidavit” indicating number of licenced abattoirs in the country, the progress made in modernising them and in eliminating cruelty towards animals brought there for slaughtering.

A bench comprising justices Madan B Lokur and Uday Umesh Lalit while seeking the “composite” response also appointed the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) as a nodal body to coordinate with the different ministers which would be dealing with the different aspects of slaughterhouses.

The court said the affidavit should include the number of recognised slaughterhouses in the country as well as the progress made in modernisation of abattoirs, enforcement of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the prosecutions launched against violators.

The MoUD was appointed as nodal ministry to coordinate with other ministries so that the situation of slaughterhouses could be placed before it in its totality, as the different ministries, represented by various counsel, were either speaking in different voices or passing the buck.

The bench was infuriated by the situation, as it found that the MoUD in its recent affidavit had washed off its hands from the issue and had put the onus on the other ministries. “If there is a conflict of stand in these ministries, I don’t know who will resolve the issue”, Justice Lokur observed as Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand intervened and sought time to address the court’s concern before the next date of hearing on October 9.

Referring to the exercises undertaken in pursuance to its directions of August 23, <g data-gr-id="27">2012</g> and August 27, 2013, the court said that “half of the country does not listen to what you say. Nobody is bothered to listen to you.”