Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Friday ordered closure of two slaughter houses and 162 meat and chicken shops in the municipal limits during Navaratri festival.
“We have revived an old tradition when Jammu was an old city during the Maharaja’s rule. At those times all meat shops would remain closed during Navaratri festival,” Mayor Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Chander Mohan Gupta told Greater Kashmir.
Gupta said this practice used to be observed in Jammu until 25 to 30 years back and they had revived it again.
The JMC ordered closing of slaughter houses and meat shops in Jammu’s Municipal limits quoting a resolution passed by the 11th General House Meeting of JMC.
“There are around 76 Jhatka and 86 Halal meat and chicken shops in JMC limits and two slaughter houses – Dogra Hall (Jhakta) and Gujjar Nagar (Halal),” said Municipal Veterinary Officer Dr Sushil Kumar Sharma.
He said that these were the registered shops including those that open temporarily during Darbar Move.
“These shops and slaughter houses will remain closed for 7 to 9 days during the time of Navaratri festival,” Sharma said.
Corporator Ward 6, Mohuiddin Choudhary told Greater Kashmir, “We respect the religious belief of all the communities. However, the JMC should have closed shops near religious places not all over the municipal limits. It is an unjustified order which may cause losses to the people in the meat and chicken business.”
He also demanded that the shops inside residential localities should be allowed to remain open.
“JMC should also have ordered closing of wine shops,” Choudhary said.