Plea in NGT against illegal slaughter houses in UP

An environment activist moved the National Green Tribunal today against "illegal" slaughter houses in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that these were discharging untreated effluent into open drains and polluting the environment.
The plea, which has been listed before a bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim, also seeks the execution of the NGT's 2015 order for closure of all illegal slaughter houses in the state.
The petition has made the Uttar Pradesh government, Central Pollution Control Board, UP Pollution Control Board, state groundwater department and others as parties in the case.
The plea, filed through advocate Anuja Chauhan, seeks action against four "illegal" slaughterhouses in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh.

He has alleged that the abattoirs were discharging untreated effluent contaminated with animal waste and blood of slaughtered animals into open drains which go into the tributaries of the Ganga and the Yamuna, polluting them.
The plea also highlights the issue of illegal extraction of groundwater 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.
The tribunal had in May 2015 directed state authorities to ensure there is proper regulation of meat shops.
The green panel had said that slaughter houses which do not have permission from the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and/or environmental clearance from State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) besides permissions from local authorities will not be allowed to operate either in open or shops.