By IANS,
New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered the closure of illegal slaughterhouses and furnaces used in extraction of animal bone fat in Meerut city of Uttar Pradesh because the blood and animal waste flushed into open drains has started polluting drinking water supply system.
An official of the commission said: “The commission has issued a notice to the chief secretary, the municipal commissioner of Meerut and chairman of the State Pollution Control Board to appear in front of the commission on Aug 25 for non-compliance of its recommendations on closure of illegal abattoir and about 200 furnaces used for extraction of animal bone fat in the city.”
During an inquiry last month, the commission found that the local administration’s claim that some of the furnaces have been demolished was not true. The slaughterhouse on municipal corporation land also continued to function illegally, polluting the environment within a radius of 2.5 km.
“Slaughtered animals’ blood and waste are flushed through open drains, resulting in pollution of drinking water. The commission had issued a notice on Aug 10 with regard to removal of these furnaces, stressing that the right to health is not only a vital human right but also a fundamental right,” the official said.
“However, because of non-compliance of the recommendations, officials of the state government have been summoned by the commission,” the official added.