The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) may announce a one-day closure of slaughterhouses in Mumbai during Paryushan Parva, a Jain festival. This festival typically falls in the first week of September, and this year, it is on September 4.
The civic body is considering this closure following a Bombay High Court order on Thursday, which directed municipal bodies in the state, including the BMC, to urgently consider and decide on a temporary ban on animal slaughter and sales during Paryushan Parva.
The Sheth Motishaw Lalbaug Jain Charities filed a petition in the High Court, seeking a directive to impose this ban.
According to an internal BMC letter, signed by civic chief Bhushan Gagrani (copy available with LokmatTimes.com), the BMC passed a resolution on October 9, 2015, to keep abattoirs closed for up to 15 days each year. The civic body aims to adhere to this resolution and does not wish to extend the closure period beyond the stipulated 15 days.
However, during the 15-day closure, it has been observed that Paryushan Parva is not included in the list of dates when the Deonar Abattoir would remain closed. Interestingly, Ganesh Chaturthi, which coincidentally falls during Paryushan Parva, is listed as a day when the abattoir will be closed.
The petitioner had requested the closure of the abattoir from August 31 to September 7, but the BMC is not inclined to accept this.
According to the BMC, Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city with a sizable population of non-Jains and followers of Jainism. "It is a city of great diversity, home to people from various communities, sects, linguistic, and ethnic groups," the letter stated. "Many communities in the city consume non-vegetarian food daily, including mutton, chicken, fish, seafood, and eggs."
The Deonar Abattoir supplies meat not only to Mumbai but also to the entire MMR region. Thus, it is inappropriate to decide on this matter in isolation. The livelihoods of numerous people, including caretakers, laborers, butchers, and meat sellers, depend on the business of slaughtering animals and selling meat and related products. Therefore, keeping slaughter activities closed for the entire period would be unjust. At the same time, it is necessary to respect the sentiments of the Jain community.
The civic body has assured that it will review the dates of slaughterhouse closures each year, ensuring that the total number of closure days does not exceed 15.