NGT seeks report from UP pollution control board on illegal slaughterhouses

The National Green Tribunal Monday sought a report from the UP pollution control board over compliance of its directions on illegal slaughterhouses discharging waste in Ganga and Yamuna.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel expressed displeasure over non implementation of its orders and said remedial actions are required to be taken expeditiously.

The NGT posted the matter for next hearing on April 16.

It was hearing a plea filed by journalist Shailesh Singh who moved NGT against "illegal" operation of slaughterhouses in Aligarh, Bulandshahr, Sambhal and Ghaziabad districts of Uttar Pradesh.

He had alleged that the abattoirs were discharging untreated effluent, contaminated with animal waste and blood of slaughtered animals, in open drains which go into the tributaries of Ganga and Yamuna, polluting them.

"As per official records, more than 8.5 lakhs cattle are slaughtered annually in Uttar Pradesh from its 115 registered abattoirs. However, a bare perusal of the records of total export made by the State shows that it is several times higher than the amount mentioned in the records and data maintained by UP," Singh said in his petition.

The plea also highlighted the issue of illegal extraction of ground water by slaughter houses without the requisite permission from the competent authorities and raises the issue of air pollution caused by the release of toxic fumes emitted from furnaces to extract animal bone fat.