A total ban on illegal slaughter houses was imposed by the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal in Chennai on Thursday.

A
bench of judicial member Justice M Chockalingam and expert member R
Nagendran, which imposed the ban, ordered notice to Chennai Corporation
Commissioner and TN Pollution Control Board, with a direction to file a
detailed action taken report, on December 6.

On a petition from
People for Cattle in India, the bench directed the officials concerned
to take punitive action against persons operating illegal slaughter
houses and ban such houses immediately.

The petitioner had sought
for a direction to ban the illegal slaughter houses since they were
causing environmental hazards, and to prevent illegal trafficking of
cattle. The petitioner also sought appropriate action against those
committing the offence.  When the petition came up for hearing, Kausik,
the counsel for the petitioner, submitted that over 70 such illegal
slaughter houses are functioning in Chennai and they could  be spotted
in Chrompet, Karimedu, Kattankulathur (near Sivanandha Ashram), Little
Mount, Medavakkam Junction, Velachery Lake Road, Taramani Link Road,
Sholinganallur, Vanagaram, Ayanampakkam, Thirumangalam Junction and
Avadi Railway Station.