On 10th August, along with Ms. Satya Sharma, the Mayor of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) Camp; Ms. C.A Dhan, Additional Commissioner, EDMC and my fellow animal welfare expert of Delhi Slaughterhouse Monitoring Committee, Dr Manilal Valliyate, I inspected India's largest mechanized slaughterhouse and just as I expected, I was horrified at the slaughter of thousands of animals but what I did not expect was the rampant flouting of norms from the country's largest mechanized slaughterhouses!

The Ghazipur slaughterhouse which functions under the supervision of EDMC and is leased to Frigorifico Allana, a company owned by several political leaders, has been found to blatantly violate not only the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughterhouse Rules), Rules 2001 but also the Food Safety and Standards (Licencing and Registration of Food Business), Regulations 2011. We found that stunning- a process of rendering the animals unconscious- were not being carried out in sheep or buffaloes before they were killed. Instead of being stunned, the buffaloes were being electrocuted by placing a live wire on their body. The animals were being slaughtered in full view of other petrified animals and were being electrocuted to get them to move faster to the slaughter hall. The slaughterhouse was overcrowded with no water and food for these animals. Sick and pregnant animals were also included with no ante-mortem examination. The animals were video graphed kicking and struggling, even as they were being deskinned.

If this is the condition of a government run slaughterhouse and that too one of India’s largest run slaughterhouse, imagine the condition of the thousands of other slaughterhouses in the country! Help me in urging the Honourable Chief Minister of Delhi, Shri Arvind Kejriwal to shut this slaughter for not only putting the health of human beings at risk by allowing the uncontrolled slaughter of sick and pregnant animals but also for subjecting the already terrified animals to insurmountable pain and suffering before their death. Sign and share the petition!