Guwahati: Authorities in Assam’s Tinsukia are facing demands for stricter monitoring of meat, poultry, egg, mutton, and pork shops across the district. Social and civic organisations, along with residents, are calling for enforcement of regulations.
The demand covers both licensed shops and unregulated sales on footpaths, streets, makeshift stalls, weekly markets, labourers’ lines, villages, and rural areas.
Residents allege that open meat sales in public spaces violate existing rules and regulations, potentially exposing consumers to health risks.
“Meat is being sold openly without basic hygiene, veterinary checks, or proper storage,” said a concerned citizen. “This is a silent threat to public health.”
Organisations supporting the demand have asked veterinary staff, enforcement branch officials, town committees, municipal corporations, and panchayats to conduct coordinated inspections and take action against violators.
“Regulations are clear, but enforcement on the ground is weak,” an organisational representative stated. “If this continues unchecked, the consequences could be severe.”
Weekly markets and labour colonies have been identified as key locations where meat and poultry are often sold without licences or proper sanitation.
“In many areas, meat is exposed to dust, flies, and waste,” noted a health activist. “Such practices are a direct breach of food safety norms.”
Concerns have also been reported from interior villages and rural belts, where inspections are reportedly limited.
“Outside town limits, monitoring is almost nonexistent,” said a panchayat member. “Rural pockets are equally vulnerable, yet they are often ignored.”
Officials acknowledged the issue and the need for inter-departmental coordination.
“Effective monitoring requires cooperation between multiple agencies,” an official said, adding that action would be initiated wherever violations are found.
Residents are calling for sustained, district-wide inspection drives rather than symbolic action.
“This is not about targeting livelihoods,” a senior resident remarked. “It is about ensuring that food sold to the public is safe and regulated.”
Residents in Tinsukia are calling for stricter enforcement against the unauthorized sale of meat, citing potential public health risks.