Andhra Pradesh high court directs Pithapuram civic body chief to shut down slaughterhouse within 2 days

Vijayawada: The high court on Wednesday directed Pithapuram municipal commissioner to shut down the slaughterhouse being run in a residential area without any permissions from the Pollution Control Board (PCB). The court directed the commissioner to shut down the slaughterhouse within two days and file a compliance report.
Gopal Rao, secretary of an animal rescue organisation, filed a PIL in the high court contending that the municipality is managing the slaughterhouse in the middle of residential houses. Arguing on behalf of the petitioner, senior counsel K S Murthy told the court that the municipality did not obtain any permission from PCB to run the slaughterhouse. He further stated that the high court and the district collector directed to shut down the slaughterhouse in residential areas but the civic body has not been complying with the orders.
The high court bench headed by Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Ravi Cheemalapati asked the municipal commissioner to appear before them virtually after the lunch break. The bench directing the commissioner to take immediate steps to shut down the slaughterhouse within two days and to file a compliance report. It further suggested to set up the slaughterhouse with modern facilities far from public habitations after obtaining necessary permissions from the PCB.