‘Rules flouted’: Varanasi civic body tells meat shops ‘in 2-km radius of temple’ to shut down

Shop owners alleged that they are being harassed by being instructed to close their shops without any proper arrangements being made for them.

Dr Santosh Pal, veterinary officer of the Municipal Corporation, said this is the second notice issued to them for not following the resolution passed by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation House. Earlier, notices were issued to them in March.

“In this drive, we have identified 26 shops so far and issued notices to them for not complying with the order. A complaint has also been filed against them with the local police,” said Pal.

On Friday, a delegation of meat shop owners met Varanasi mayor Ashok Tiwari in connection with the matter and sought his intervention.

Mayor Ashok Tiwari said on Saturday that last year, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation unanimously passed a proposal to ban the sale of meat within a two-kilometre radius of temple premises. He explained that when notices were initially issued to shop owners, they requested 30 days to make arrangements, but no action was taken by them. A new notice has now been issued to them.

“When a delegation of meat shop owners who had been issued notices met me, I informed them that no FIR would be filed against them. I also advised them to find alternative locations for their shops, and assured them that the Nagar Nigam would allocate space for them. I do not believe in shutting anyone’s business,” said the Mayor, highlighting the fact that the Maha Kumbh would bring a large number of visitors to the Vishwanath Temple.

The Mayor pointed out that the meat shop owners were operating without licences.

The meat shops are located in areas such as Nai Sadak, Beniabagh, Sheikh Salim Phatak, and other neighborhoods. Varanasi Municipal Commissioner Akshat Verma was unreachable for comment.

However, Iqbal Ahmed, a meat shop owner and member of the delegation, alleged that they are being harassed even as no action has been taken against liquor shops operating within the two-kilometre radius of the temple. He pointed out that the resolution mentioned that liquor shops also would not be allowed in the designated area.

He added that no other arrangements have been made for their shops by the corporation, while claiming that is “no government order mandating the closure of shops within a two-kilometre radius of the temple.”

He claimed that the notices issued to them made no mention of the resolution. Instead, the notices cited inspections that found their shops operating without licenses or a no-objection certificate. The notices also highlighted the unsanitary conditions inside the shops, with meat being sold openly, causing public unrest and posing a risk of spreading infectious diseases. The notice instructed the shop owners to immediately close their shops.

“We will meet the Mayor again on Monday,” said Ahmed.