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Kathmandu Wednesday April 04, 2001 Chaitra 22, 2057.
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Govt to enforce Slaughterhouse and Meat
Inspection Act
By Ram Sharan Sedhai
KATHMANDU, April 3 - The government is going to enforce the Slaughterhouse
and Meat Inspection Act - 2055 from the next fiscal year, to regulate rampant slaughter of
animals and sales of meat and to control adulteration in meat and meat products thereby
providing wholesome meat to the consumers.
The enforcement of the Act is expected to regulate the unrestricted
butchering, import and sales of meat and meat products, which has often created public
health hazards and communication of animal diseases. The government has already formulated
Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Regulations 2057 to this effect.
Though the implementation of the Act will push up the prices as it requires
fulfillment of provisions which add up cost of slaughterers and meat sellers, it will
ensure hygienic meat and meat products.
However, the government is going to implement the Act in a phase-wise manner
starting from the Capital and some other municipalities.
Dr Shubh Narayan Mahato, Program Director at the Directorate of Animal
Health, Department of Livestock Services, says, "The Act will be implemented in
selected municipalities in keeping with the feasibility of execution of the Act."
It will be introduced phase-wise as it is practically difficult to meet the
requirements laid down by the Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Regulations for all the
slaughterhouses, slaughter places and meat sellers, says Dr Mahato.
The Act allows the private sectors to run slaughterhouses and slaughter
places and open meat shops acquiring licence from District Livestock Service Office upon
the recommendation of the concerned municipality or village development committee (VDC).
To carry out ante-mortem and post-mortem examinations of animals to ensure
the quality of meat, the government can appoint or designate a person, at least a graduate
in veterinary science, as meat inspector or meat supervisor. They certify whether any meat
or meat product is fit for consumption or is condemned. They have to affix stamp on meat,
and meat sans such stamp is prohibited to sell.
Till now, there is no such provision of strict examination of animals prior
to their slaughter and meat inspection. This has given leeway to meat sellers to sell
contaminated and adulterated meat and meat products, which often results in public health
hazards.
The Regulations also require to slaughter sheep/goat/mountain goat; he- and
she-buffaloes; pigs, and fowls at separate places. Lack of rules they are being butchered
and sold from the same places in almost all cases except for a few well-managed meat
sellers.
The Act does not allow sellers to sell the edible offal, gut, head, blood,
among others, of animals from the same place. Likewise, it bans the slaughter of any
diseased or debilitated, non-ruminant, pregnant and nursing animals. It also bans the sale
of any kind of meat with skin, putting an end to the widespread practice of selling
skinned meat.
However, unlike abroad, the new Regulations do not specify time to sell meat
after animals are slaughtered. In some countries, sale of meat is not allowed before 24
hours of slaughter.
"Rigor Mortis, a process of delaying sale of meat to let its tissues die
out, is practised to make meat tender and to restore its natural flavour. Therefore, even
if the process is not practised, it does not affect the health of the consumers",
says Dr Mahato.
Meat inspectors and meat supervisors have the right to prohibit the sale of
meat if found defective. Likewise, the new arrangement is expected to discourage
adulteration of meat of one species of animals with others. This is one of the greatest
problems with the meat at present.
The Act also has a provision to fine up to Rs 10,000 for the first time and
Rs 20,000 or an imprisonment of three months or both from the second time and onwards for
each offence as maximum for violating the rules as specified in the law.
The Act has also repealed Chapters Numbers 3 and 16 on fourfooted Animal of
the Civil Code.
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