The unauthorised meat shops operating in Ranchi has become a pain for supervisory body as major chunk involved in the business is yet to obtain valid license from the concerned agency. Even after making the licence obtaining procedure more convenient, several shops functioning at the busiest avenues have not yet applied for the same.
The recent incident at Pandra OP that had caused scuffle when the enforcement team members appointed by the RMC to check such activities were held responsible for creating ruckus and also charged with ‘extracting money’ has put the entire exercise by the municipal corporation in a poor light.
The city enforcement team members responsible for removing encroachments along roads while keeping a tab on the meat shops condition have said that due to several illegal meat shops operating in the capital at times they gets involved in clash coincidentally. As per team officer Deepak Rama only 70 meat sellers in Ranchi have taken license from the civic body.
“We are unnecessarily being dragged into all these matters. During the working hours, we just follow the instructions that have been issued to us. Moreover, we are just checking hygiene condition at the shops and the nature of the land (rent or owned by the meat shop owners) on which the shops are being operated,” added Rama.
Although few meat shop owners have said that due to the change in penalty norms, the enforcement team officers are acting like dictators. Notably, a week ago, changing the clause, the enforcement team officers have been instructed to collect three times more penalty per day to recompense the monthly salary each officer receives. Increasing the number of officers in the team from five to nine that lends their service shifts wise, a monthly remuneration of Rs 17,000 is fixed for each officer.
On the other hand, the Municipal Corporation’s administrative heads including elected representatives remained tight-lipped over the issue. Another City Manager Ambuj Singh said, “In an attempt to stay away from the controversy including looking at the demands of the meat shop owners who were compelled to keep their shops closed, we have side-lined all the clauses of newly formulated Act. Only the arrangements of proper sanitation are being checked at the shops. Those having any valid document are not being enquired anything. Shops operating illegally are being targeted.”