New Delhi, August 11, 2009

The National Human Rights Commission has summoned Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh, DIG-cum-SSP, DM, Municipal Commissioner, Meerut and Chairman, State Pollution Control Board to appear in person on 25th of this month before the Full Commission on the issue of non-compliance of Commission's recommendations on closure of illegal abattoir and about two hundred furnaces in use for extraction of animal bone fat in the city. The Commission said that for the last six months it has been trying to provide some relief to the inhabitants of Meerut from this pollution causing illegal activity, but despite the assurance given to it in person on 3rd June this year, neither the DM nor the Municipal Commissioner, Meerut kept their word on closer of illegal furnaces and abattoir within 15 days.

A team of the NHRC's Investigation Division visited the spot twice. In the recent spot inquiry conducted on 15th & 16th of July it found that there is no change in the situation. The claim of the local administration that some furnaces had been removed or demolished was not found true as about two hundred furnaces are still operating. The team also reported that the slaughter house on Municipal Corporation land continues to illegally function polluting the environment within a radius of 2.5 kms. Slaughtered animals' blood and waste are flushed through open drains as earlier resulting in pollution of drinking water.

The Commission in its notice issued on 10th August, 2009 to the concerned authorities of the State Government said that the Right to Health is not only a vital human right, but also a Fundamental Right, guaranteed in the Constitution. If the health of the citizens is affected due to pollution and the local administration shows a lackadaisical approach in resolving the problem, the Commission cannot keep waiting as a helpless spectator and it has to take effective steps.
*****