Haridwar to be butcher-free, meat shops to exit city limits

HARIDWAR: All butcher shops operating within the Haridwar municipal area will soon be relocated outside municipal limits, as authorities begin implementing a resolution passed by the municipal corporation last year.
Currently, around 100 butcher shops operate in Haridwar municipal area, primarily in Jwalapur and Jagjeetpur, with only a handful holding valid licences. The rest of Haridwar city remains a designated 'dry zone,' where the sale of meat, non-vegetarian food, and alcohol is prohibited. With this move, the entire city will no longer have butcher shops, although non-vegetarian items will still be available outside the restricted zone.
Haridwar municipal commissioner Nandan Kumar told TOI, "We have nearly completed the construction of meat shops in Sarai village. So far, 60 shops have been built, and those with valid licences will be relocated there. The remaining illegal shops will be sealed. All butchers have been informed about the relocation." He added that this shift will help improve sanitation in the city and also control stray dog menace.
Local residents have long demanded the relocation of the Jwalapur meat market, alleging poor hygiene and improper waste disposal. Similar complaints have been raised against chicken shops in residential areas running without permits.