The High Court has advised the State government to frame a comprehensive policy regulating the sale of meat and non-vegetarian food items in the vicinity of places of worship, educational institutions, and hospitals. The court said clear norms are required to address concerns linked to public order, hygiene, and civic management.
Guidelines Sought for 100-Metre Regulated Zone
The court suggested that the proposed policy should regulate meat sales within a 100-metre radius of temples, schools, colleges, and hospitals. While making the observation, it underlined the need to factor in public sentiment, peaceful surroundings, cleanliness, traffic flow, and law-and-order considerations.
Municipal and Home Department Principal Secretaries were directed to work out detailed guidelines, ensuring that enforcement responsibilities are clearly defined across departments.
Police Clearance to Be Made Mandatory
As part of the proposed framework, the court recommended introducing a mandatory requirement for obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the jurisdictional police station before permitting the establishment of meat sale outlets. This, the court indicated, would help streamline oversight and address localised law-and-order issues at the approval stage itself.
The State government was asked to complete the policy formulation exercise within four weeks and place the outcome on record.
Petition Arising From Hyderabad Business Dispute
The observations were made while hearing a writ petition filed by Bipin Ramdas, a resident of Maharashtra, who alleged obstruction to his meat business operations in the Red Hills area of Hyderabad. The petitioner claimed that officials from the GHMC Khairatabad Zone and the Station House Officer of Nampally Police Station were preventing him from carrying out his trade.
The dispute brought to focus the absence of uniform norms governing the location and regulation of meat sale establishments in sensitive public zones.
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