Illegal meat shops in South Delhi area may invite a penalty of Rs 1 lakh besides penal action as the Standing Committee of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has approved a new policy for meat shops with provision to take stringent action in case of violation of norms.

 As per the ‘revised meat shop licensing policy’, slaughtering of poultry birds shall be allowed at licensed meat shops located in commercial areas only as there is no Government’s poultry slaughterhouse in Delhi.

It has also been provisioned that no slaughtering shall be done outside the shops.

Considering the safety of the public health, no sale or purchase of fish, chicken and mutton would be allowed at any open platform and on the roadside. Also, prior permission of area councillor is made mandatory for the opening of any meat shops.

 The resolution has also made it mandatory that under the tehbazari scheme, the licenses to the meat shops can be granted only in case of having pucca structure with the roof having the size of shops that would be decided by the corporation.

 Chairperson of Standing Committee Shikha Rai said all the restaurants and hotels under SDMC areas will have to obtain the license from the Department of Veterinary Services to keep the raw meat for the purpose of selling.

 Rai also said according to the provisions of the resolution, the minimum distance between the meat shops and religious places has been increased from 100 to 150 meters.

 A senior SDMC official said every person employed to these shops would be medically examined by the registered medical practitioners. The examinations include checking tuberculosis, sputum, examination of stool for protozoan and helminthes infestations for related parasites which are transmitted by ingestion among others. 

“It has also provisioned that in case of Cow or its progeny is found at any shops, the license would be revoked immediately and they would also be debarred to get it in future,” he said.

 The corporation has also made it mandatory for shops to be equipped accordingly as per the new guidelines. Every shop should have a refrigerator of adequate size, the weighing balance shall be made of stainless steel or nickel coated, and fire safety equipment should be installed. 

 As per section 415 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, no license is required for places used for sale or storage of preserved flash or fish contained in airtight or hermetically sealed receptacles. However, the license would be required if the shopkeeper is selling or processing it after opening the hermetically sealed receptacles.