There were 2,928 raids conducted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the last year on meat shops in the city. Of the total raids conducted, prosecution was initiated in 753 cases. The details were provided by the BMC on an RTI application of raids conducted between April 2016 to March 2017.

As per the reply given to the RTI application made by RTI applicant Chetan Kothari, there are two categories of shops that are provided with licenses. These are inside markets and outside. As per information provided, the total number of such shops stood at 2,488.

Of the total number of shops those selling mutton stood at 1,229, beef at 596, chicken at 551, pork at 29 and cold storage at 83. Wards L (Kurla), M (Chembur), N (Ghatkopar) S (Bhandup) and T ward (Mulund) did not have any shops that were selling pork.

The information provided stated that the of the total raids in which prosecution was done, the court fined them Rs 11.90 lakh. The BMC also recovered Rs 6.43 lakh by auctioning poultry birds and fish that were seized during the raids.

The quantity of poultry birds seized was 18,200 while that of the fish seized was 4,502 kgs. Number of goats / sheep seized stood at 1,844 while large animals stood at 12. The most quantum in seizure was in beef category which stood at 40,408 kgs. Seizures in chicken, mutton and pork stood at 1,399 kg, mutton at 430 kg and pork at 10 kg.

"I had filed this RTI application because there was some action taken in some other states. Hence I wanted to check what is happening in city with respect to shops in city. I wanted to know if the take action and what they do. From what they told me, they said that there are very few staff and inspectors. I think it is satisfactory that they are taking some action," said Chetan Kothari, RTI applicant.

& analysis

The regular raids conducted show that officials have been acting on various illegalities. In fact, the applicant felt that the government should provide more staff so that issue of illegality does not arise at all.