The place near Unit IV Market after meat shops were demolished. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, June 19: A team of senior officials of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) today conducted a surprise raid on roadside meat sellers near Unit IV Market in the city.

While the BMC team demolished temporary structures of the sellers, it also seized meat, which was being sold in the open without proper covering. Wooden stands used for chopping meat and other instruments were seized during the operation. Led by the municipal commissioner, deputy municipal commissioner, recovery officer, city health officer, team of food and sanitary inspectors along with enforcement staff carried out the raids from 9am to 11am.

City health officer, Ashok Kumar Panda said: “As per the Orissa Municipal Corporation Act, 2003, selling of meat in the open without proper covering of shops is illegal. Even the Orissa High Court had asked the BMC to stop selling meat openly at roadside shops. So, when the civic authorities have already planned to go for five scientific and modern slaughter houses across the city, the meat sellers should either cover their shops adequately or stop their business from roadside shops.”

However, during Raja festival as the demand for mutton and chicken went up, sellers violated rules.

“Our raids today were purely to make them aware and warn them not to continue the illegal practice. If they continue to sell meat in the open, strict action would be taken against them,” said Panda.

A regular customer to the market said after the BMC officials left the area, the meat sellers again occupied their space and started selling their items again.

A meat seller said: “The BMC officials acted in a non-democratic manner. They even took three freshly cut animals and threw bleaching powder on some unsold items. They are only targeting us whereas we are selling our stuff near a non-vegetarian market. But some sellers towards the end of this market and a particular vending zone near the Stewart School are never on the target list of the BMC officials.”

However, secretary of the local chapter of the All India Jamiatul Quresh (AIJQ) Seikh Sarjan Qureshi admitted that some of the meat sellers are actually violating the rules set by the civic authorities. “As the civic authorities are planning modern slaughter houses, the meat sellers should wait till they are done and sell their stuff within a covered surrounding,” he said.