Ludhiana officials fine retail chains for selling meat
Ludhiana officials fine retail chains for selling meat

Soon after the Supreme Court said that meat ban can't be forced down anyone's throat, municipal authorities in Ludhiana has fined about nine stores for selling non-vegetarian fare.

The municipal official fined three Reliance Fresh franchisees and an EasyDay outlet.

According to officials it is for the first time that stores have been fined. No particular drive was conducted in previous years and neither did they receive complaints.

Health officer Dr Charanjit Singh Uppal said not only did they fine shopkeepers but also destroyed eggs and meat in some of them.

A couple of stores that were fined Rs 1,000 were selling eggs. One store was selling frozen chicken while a local hotel had not taken meat off its menu.

The municipal corporation officials swung into action after members of the Jain community complained about meat and eggs being sold in different parts of the city.

Ludhiana police commissioner Paramraj Singh Umranangal had issued an order on September 9 stating that all meat shops and egg stores should remain closed on September 17 and no non-veg item should be sold or served in hotels as it would hurt the religious sentiments of Jains. The orders were promulgated under Section 144 of the CrPC.

Further the members of the Jain community said that they will also give a complaint to the police commissioner regarding the violation which has been done by various grocery stores and meat shops in the city and will demand FIR against all the violators.

Employees at various grocery stores said they were selling chicken and eggs because they were unaware of the ban order. An employee at a retail chain store at Kailash Cinema Road said in previous years, they received a letter from their head office asking them to take meat, chicken and eggs off the shelves but had not received any such directions this time.

The Supreme Court on Thursday had upheld the Bombay high court's decision to lift the civic body's ban on sale of meat in Mumbai during the Jain festival and said the need of the hour was tolerance towards myriad views and lifestyles.

 
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