AWBI has urged the apex food regulatory body to take action against the illegal meat shops owners
A report by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) has revealed the dreadful conditions in which goats and chicken and goats are handled prior to being slaughtered in illegal meat shops.
The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) took note of the report and directed FSSAI to act on it.
AWBI has urged the apex food regulatory body to take action against the illegal meat shops owners for violating the rules under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act.
FIAPO had conducted inspections in 7 cities- Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata Bhubaneshwar and Indore. Amongst the 7 cities surveyed, Delhi was the biggest offender followed by Bhubaneshwar, Bangalore and Kolkata.
The report clearly states that illegal slaughterhouses operate rampantly despite not being certified by FSSAI or the authorities, disregarding public health, food safety, and environment norms.
Ashwin Bhadri, CEO of Equinox Labs, says, “The fact of the matter is, only trained and skilled workers should be allowed and authorized to handle such a job.”
“These filthy and unsanitary standards are more than capable of spreading diseases. Seeing the way this second COVID-19 wave has affected India, we simply cannot afford another zoonotic-based outbreak”, Bhadri added.