The Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the State government to ensure that the official machinery was vigilant to check slaughter of camels on the eve of Bakrid.
A bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, hearing a PIL plea on illegal transportation and slaughter of camels, suggested that the government undertake a massive campaign to enlighten people that slaughtering of camels would attract penal action. The bench observed that people at large were under the impression that killing camels was not violation of law.
“All of us know that Hyderabad is a great centre for non-vegetarian food. One cannot have non-vegetarian food unless animal is slaughtered. But there are rules and regulations governing slaughtering of animals,” the bench observed. Petitioner K. Shashikala contended that camels were being illegally transported into Telangana from other States for slaughter.
The petitioner apprehended that slaughter of camels was likely to go up during Bakrid festival. The Special Government Pleader, citing the report furnished by the Animal Husbandry Director before the court, said eight committees were constituted to inspect abattoirs. These committees comprising officials from police, animal husbandry and civic bodies would raid abattoirs or butcher shops.
After listening to the contentions of SGP G. Sanjeev Kumar, the bench instructed the official machinery to keep tabs on illegal slaughter of animals, especially camels, in the backdrop of Bakrid to be observed on Saturday. Even a goat cannot be killed by a butcher without certification by the veterinary doctor.
“There is possibility of virus transmitting from animals to human beings as coronavirus got transmitted from bats to human beings. That engulfed entire world now and became a pandemic,” the bench remarked.
Official machinery was geared up to check illegal slaughter of animals, be it sheep or camels, the SGP said.
The petition was posted for August 5.
