Yogi effect in South: Meat shops feel the heat

THOOTHUKUDI: Though the Thoothukudi district collector disagrees that he has been emulating the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in launching A crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses and meat shops in the pearl city (Thoothukudi), people see it as 'Yogi effect'. The Thoothukudi district collector, M Ravikumar, who gained the people's appreciation for his action of suspending water supply to industries in Thoothukudi giving priority to drinking water supply since January 7, again scored in the eyes of the common Thoothukudiites by acting against illegal sales of chicken and mutton.

Following complaints from the public about spoiled meat sales in Thoothukudi, the district collector directed sudden raids against the unlicensed sales of meat last week and seized around 800-kg of meat and destroyed it.  "On a single day on Sunday (April 16) alone officials in Thoothukudi seized 150-kg of spoiled meat kept for sales at unlicensed outlets," said the collector.
However, he has  instructed the authorities concerned in the district to issue license  without delay if an applicant satisfied the food safety standards.

Ravikumar has also issued a strict warning against opening meat shops, where sheep and goats have been butchered in an unhygienic condition.  The meat sellers, especially the mutton sellers have been instructed to use the government set up slaughterhouses, where the butchered meat would be stamped by the veterinarians. “I have instructed the administration of Thoothukudi corporation municipalities and town panchayats in the district to deploy even retired veterinarians to 'certify' the meat butchered at the slaughter houses," said collector Ravikumar, adding, only 20 veterinarians are in place in the district against the government sanctioned 69 posts that add up to the problem.