Meat shops in Gurugram to be closed for 9 days for Jain festival

Gurugram, July 30

The Department of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) has ordered the closure of all meat shops and slaughterhouses under the Municipal Corporation Gurugram (MCG) area for nine days from August 24 to September 1 during the Jain festival ‘Paryushan Parv’. A senior official of the MCG said the ban would not apply on sales of packaged frozen meat at the city’s supermarkets. This is the first time that the ULB Department has ordered the shutting down of meat shops for this festival.

Not justified, rue sellers

This is the only source of income for us. The government should think twice before taking such decisions. We already have to keep our shops shut on Tuesdays and during Navratri. Now, these nine days also have been added. This is not justified. Bhure khan, Meat seller, Sadar bazaar

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A letter issued by an executive engineer from the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies, Haryana, to all deputy commissioners, commissioners of municipal corporations and executive officers, secretaries of the municipal councils and committees in Haryana on July 20 stated that the president of SS Jain Mahasabha, Haryana, had informed that Paryushan Parav was being celebrated in the state from August 24 to September 1.

“In this regard, I have been directed by the competent authority to request you that all slaughterhouses and meat shops should remain closed during the period of Paryushan Parv,” read the letter.

“We have received an order from the state government, following which we have decided to shut all meat shops in the city from August 24 to September 1. We will soon call a meeting of the shop owners to apprise them of the ban. Supermarkets will, however, be allowed to sell packaged frozen meat,” said Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vijaypal Yadav.

Meanwhile, meat shop owners said they would have to suffer huge losses for closing shops for a period of nine days.

It was on March 18 last year that the MCG House decided to keep the meat shops across the city closed on Tuesdays. The meat shops also remain closed during Navratri festival in city.

“In compliance of the order, our team will do surprise checks. If any meat shop is found open during this period of nine days, we will not only seal the shop but also issue a challan of Rs 5,000,” said MCG’s Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vijaypal Yadav.