PIL in HC demands temporary slaughter houses during Eid

The PIL has been filed by advocate Yasmin Ali Shaikh, social worker Shamsa Zaheer Shaikh and police officer-turned-politician Shamsher Khan Pathan.

In their plea, the petitioners argued that the BMC has provided only one slaughter house/abatoir at Deonar for the entire city of Mumbai. "This results in heavy rush of devout Muslims taking animals for sacrifice at Deonar and no proper facilities are available at the slaughter house to cater to the needs of so many people," it said.

The petitioners contended that at times the people are not in a position to complete the whole process of sacrificing animals for three days and one has to wait for hours together in queue for the purpose of completing their religious duty.

They also pointed out that at times there are stampedes causing injury to humans as well as animals.

The petition also alleged that members of some outfits intimidate people and seize animals and these are taken to Panjrapol where they starve.

"The animals are not returned even after orders of the court," they said. "Many a times the seized animals are never returned on the pretext that they are dead," the petition alleged.

The PIL urged that directions be issued to the Maharashtra government, its officers and staff to allow free movement of livestock such as goats, sheep, ox and buffaloes for three days during the Bakr-Id festival without any hindrance and obstruction from NGOs and social workers.

The respondents named in the PIL are the Municipal Commissioner of BMC, Maharashtra government, Bharatiya Gauvansha Rakshan Samvardhan Parishad and Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh.