Mutton shops face closure for not maintaining hygiene

New Delhi, Mar 29 (UNI) The Delhi High Court has warned the mutton shops to upgrade the shops to maintain hygiene or face closure in the Capital.

While hearing a public interest petition on illegal slaughter houses in the capital, a division bench of Chief Justice of M K Sarma and Justice Sanjiv Khanna said, ''Last opportunity was given to the defaulting mutton shops to adhere to the required norms by making the rooms air-conditioned and maintaining hygine within four weeks or face closure by the municipal authorities.'' The Municipal Corporation of Delhi(MCD) was asked to file an action take report(ATR) by July 11, the next date of hearing.

The Court had earlier directed the MCD to serve notice to the meat shops to upgrade the standard of the shops by making it air-conditioned, preserving the meat in refrigerator and fly-free enclosures.

The MCD Counsel said out of 1400 shops, 417 had been upgraded.

The defaulting 970 shops had been given stern warning, the counsel submitted during the hearing.

The court directed the authorities to close the illegal slaughter house operating in different parts of Delhi.

Only the licenced shops should be authorised to sell mutton, the court said.

UNI