Mumbai: The festival of Eid al-adha or Bakri Eid, known as the festival of sacrifice, will be celebrated between June 6 and 7. While the sale of animals at the market began on May 29, the festival has brought disputes related to the sacrifice of goats within the housing societies in Mumbai.
Last week, a dispute emerged over the slaughtering of goats for Eid-al-Adha within the Maitri Society at Damodar Park in Ghatkopar West, as reported by The Free Press Journal. The society has been protesting against the ritual since last year and its protesting residents had approached the court, which asked the authorities to proceed as per law. A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said that they have made arrangements for slaughterhouses in nearby areas and have informed the society members.
Although the Parksite police said that no complaint has been filed so far, they will deploy police personnel in the area and continue patrolling regularly on the day of Eid celebrations. An official said that if the concerned department rejects the permission for slaughtering in the society, they will take action as per law.
Similarly, a senior citizen from Kurla (W) also filed a complaint with the V.B. Nagar police station alleging illegal animal slaughter in residential premises in Kurla’s Naupada. The complaint dated May 31, alleged that multiple goats have been tied by a tenant of Baba Co-operative Housing Society outside his flat on the ground floor. The complainant alleged that the situation indicates that the goats are to be slaughtered on the premises.
“This practice has resulted in severe hygiene issues, including foul odor from urine and litter, causing significant disturbance to society members. Despite repeated concerns raised, this illegal activity continues unchecked year after year. Beyond legal violations, this recurrent nuisance causes stress and anxiety among residents, particularly individuals undergoing medical treatment, thereby exacerbating their health conditions,” read the complaint.
Notably, the Bombay High Court on June 29, 2024, while hearing a petition filed by the members of Nathani Heights at Lamington Road, instructed the Mumbai police and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ensure there was no sacrificing of animals in housing societies which did not have the municipal permission to do so. The existing law mandates the requirement of permission from the civic body to sacrifice an animal at any place except slaughterhouses, including housing societies
Talking to The Free Press Journal, Dr. Kalimpasha Pathan, general manager of Deonar Abattoir, said that the sacrifice of animals is permitted at four categories of places including the predesignated market places, community places, privately owned places and housing societies after obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC).
“As per the religious policy framed by the BMC and sanctioned by the Bombay High Court, people wanting to sacrifice animals during the festival, need to obtain an NOC from the society as well as a permission from the ward officer. Sacrifices at community places and other privately owned places also require the ward officer’s permission, who is the competent authority to provide permission for this cause. Similarly, BMC’s markets department is the competent authority for the predesignated markets like the meat shops,” he said.
