BMC chief issues order to shut Deonar abattoir on September 4 for Parysuhan Parv

Mumbai: Acting on a directive of Bombay High Court, the metropolis' civic chief on Friday issued an order detailing the two days on which the Deonar abattoir will remain closed, including for the Jain community's 'Paryushan Parv'.

As per the order issued by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner-cum-administrator Bhushan Gagrani, the abattoir will remain shut on September 4 and 7 this year.

"After taking into consideration various aspects of this issue, I have come to the conclusion that BMC will announce one day closure to slaughter during Paryushan Parva i.e. Bhadarva Sud Ekam, every year, which falls on September 4 this year. Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the days on which Deonar Abattoir is kept closed as per a 2015 decision. As it incidentally falls on the same day as Paryushan Parv, the abattoir will remain close on September 7 as well," the order said.

He also directed the concerned department to review the dates of closure of the abattoir and ensure the total number of days in a year do not exceed 15 days.

The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the civic bodies in Maharashtra to urgently consider and decide the representations made by a Jain public charitable trust seeking a temporary ban on animal slaughter and sale of meat in view of the community's 'Paryushan Parv'.

The Sheth Motishaw Lalbaug Jain Charities had filed a petition in HC seeking a direction to the BMC and civic bodies of Pune, Mira Bhayandar and Nashik to expeditiously decide on the representation made by them.

The trust, which sought a ban on animal slaughter and sale of meat from August 31 to September 7, highlighted various aspects of Jain belief, including 'ahimsa' (non-violence).

The plea said if animal slaughter takes place during the Paryushan Parv, then it would be detrimental to the cause of Jainism.

A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar said it does not see any impediment in directing the civic bodies to decide the representation made by the trust.

"We accordingly direct the authorities to decide the representation of the petitioner seeking to impose a temporary ban on the slaughtering of animals and sale of meat during (from) August 31 to September 7. We urge the civic bodies to take a decision urgently since the festival commences from August 31," HC said.