Throwing a government order and High Court directions to the wind, several meat shops remained open on Mahavir Jayanthi day on Sunday.
Members of the Tamil Nadu Shree Jain Maha Mandal and People for Cattle India volunteers visited various parts of Chennai and found more than 100 meat shops conducting business as usual.
G. Arun Prasanna said: “We even saw places where they slaughtered animals in the open. This again is banned by the National Green Tribunal,” said Mr. Prasanna.
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The volunteers alerted the police and a community service register (CSR) was filed by the police.
The volunteers had met Corporation commissioner Vikram Kapur last week and given a representation regarding the government order banning slaughter on Mahavir Jayanthi day. The team also sent registered posts to all district collectors and the director-general of police (DGP) and the city police commissioner, about possible violation of the order.
Slaughterhouses openly functioned in north Chennai areas and on the Old Mahabalipuram Road stretch. Mr. Prasanna said it was very disappointing for animal welfare activists and people from the Jain community to find the order being flouted.
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The volunteers also sent letters to the Corporation, Chief Minister’s cell, pollution control board, DGP, animal husbandry, Animal Welfare Board, National Green Tribunal and the State Human Rights Commission, about the violation.