A public interest litigation (PIL) has urged the Bombay High Court to restrain Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Maharashtra Government from allowing slaughter of animals at Deonar slaughter house for export of meat. The PIL also opposed the proposed expansion plan of Rs 125 crore for abattoir's modernisation. Chief Justice Anil Dave and Justice S C Dharmadhikari have asked the state and BMC to file affidavits within two weeks. The petitioner,Viniyog Parivar Trust,submitted that until 1962 there were two slaughter houses in Mumbai - one at Bandra and the other at Kurla. In 1973 another slaughter house came up at Deonar where animals were slaughtered for local consumption as well as exports. Concerned with decline in animal population,the BMC passed a resolution in 1983 to stop slaughter for exports at Deonar abattoir. However,in 1985,BMC administrator passed orders not to implement this decision. Till date,animals are slaughtered at Deonar for local consumption and exports. Petitioners counsel Prafulla Shah argued that the Deonar abattoir sustained losses to the tune of Rs 117 crore in the last ten years and it had been observed that whenever exports increased the losses also rose.
