GHMC vet officials raid mutton, chicken shops

Hyderabad: After conducting a series of raids at hotels, restaurants, and other eateries, the authorities have targeted meat and chicken shops, pet stores, and dairy farms across the city. The GHMC’s veterinary department inspected non-veg establishments for the last couple of days and uncovered various violations. They also issued show-cause notices to the managements found with violations.

The department raided meat stores in the Charminar, Secunderabad, and Khairtabad zones. The officials inspected shops selling meat and chicken and prosecuted them under sections 539, 521, 622, 548, 487, and 596 of the GHMC Act 1955. The corporation imposed penalties for selling meat and chicken without licence and other violations.

Following the complaints from the consumers that the meat and chicken traders were selling rotten meat, the officials started conducting raids. The officials checked if the shops had recognition and whether they maintained hygiene standards.

According to officials, during the raids, the traders who were running their trades without GHMC trade licenses, creating unhygienic conditions and health hazards, were given a penalty of Rs 12,000 by the GHMC. Recently, the assistant director and vet officers of Kukatpally and Charminar zones also imposed the penalties of Rs 34,500 on them.

Mohammed Ahmed, a resident of Old City, urged the concerned officers to inspect the condition of the meat sold in the shops. He also pointed and urged the officials to carry out a thorough inspection of all meat shops to ensure they are selling authentic male goat meat, said Ahmed.

A senior vet officer said, “Consumption of unstamped meat could result in ill health as unauthorised slaughtering is done mostly of deceased and unhealthy goats or sheep. The municipal corporation has been conducting raids in different areas and seizing slaughterhouses that were offering unstamped meat.”