Why shut meat shops, ask traders, consumers

Why shut meat shops, ask traders, consumers

‘Essential For Us, Regulate Like Veggie Outlets’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.06.2020

The sudden announcement of closing all meat shops and slaughterhouses in city limits has taken vendors and consumers by shock. The move has become a point of heated discussion with people asking — ‘why such an illogical decision was taken?’ “We heard about the move only last night. When we tried asking authorities the reason behind this, they had no answers,” said R Kareem, general secretary of the South Chennai Mutton Traders Association. He pointed out that during the previous lockdown, the local authorities had regulated timings but allowed them to open meat stalls for business. “They should have at least informed us a few days in advance... Our livelihoods will be severely affected.”

Kareem said the traders and sellers will have to incur huge losses as maintaining the livestock costs thousands of rupees a day. “Without income, how will we manage?”

“Sales that dipped during the previous lockdowns was picking up, but this move will further losses,” said S Salauddin, president, Chennai Mutton Merchant (retailers) Association.

Sellers also complained cold storage facility wasn’t available in the city, “With no place to store the meat nor means to sell it, tonnes will be going to waste,” said Abdul Mohammad, a mutton seller.

Even egg sale in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Tiruvallur districts, where the 12-day lockdown has been imposed, will be affected, A Singaraj, president of Tamil Nadu Poultry Farmers Association. “But the exact market status will be known only after two days,” said. The districts consume 50 lakh eggs daily, Chennai the most, and added the cost of eggs may drop if stocks go up in farms.

This government’s decision to stop online sales of meat is also being widely debated on social media. A few have asked authorities to explain the logic behind implementing this move while regulating timings for other stores selling vegetables and groceries.

On March 23, the ministry of animal husbandry, dairy, and fisheries wrote to chief secretaries of all states asking them to include chicken, eggs, and meat in the list of essential commodities.

“Meat is an essential item for us. How can the state stop it? The authorities must regulate these stores like the rest,” said T Usha, a consumer.

INTO THE BIN: A trader dumps around 3 tonnes of fish and crabs into a garbage bin at Villivakkam market. Greater Chennai Corporation has ordered closure of all fish and meat shops in its limits during the 12-day lockdown that began on Friday