New Delhi [India], January 12 (ANI): Amid the outbreak of Bird Flu, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing for January 19, on an application seeking direction to ensure that no birds are slaughtered in and around the Ghazipur 'Murga Mandi' (market).

A bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh on Tuesday adjourned the hearing on the plea with the main matter, which is already scheduled for hearing on January 19.

Meanwhile, the Advocate representing the respondent also informed the court that the Delhi Government has already closed the said mandi due to an outbreak of bird flu.

Senior Advocate Raj Panjwani appeared for the petitioner stated that slaughtering of birds in a livestock market without appropriate licenses and in absence of the infrastructure mandated by law makes it a hot spot for the spread of diseases.

The plea was moved by Animals Right Activist Gauri Mulekhi through this application states that the lack of hygiene is recorded and is evident in Ghazipur Murga Mandi making it a breeding ground for the outbreak of a pandemic or susceptible to the current outbreak of Avian Influenza imposing severe danger to public health and safety.

The application was moved in an ongoing Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that poultry birds are being traded and slaughtered illegally at the Ghazipur mandi in east Delhi.

According to the main PIL, the rampant illegal slaughter of approximately 2.5 lakhs of poultry birds every day by wholesale traders in Ghazipur Murga Mandi are in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and other laws related to that. The fresh application stated that there has been a Bird Flu/Avian Influenza outbreak in the country. That the outbreak occurred in Rajasthan, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana which has led to the death and culling of thousands of birds and animals. The Department of Animals Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India has set up a control room in New Delhi to take stock on a daily basis of preventive and control measures undertaken by State Authorities.

Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan are the major suppliers of poultry birds to Ghazipur Murga Mandi situated in East Delhi. In the past, Ghazipur Murga Mandi has been the epicentre for Avian Flu Outbreak in Delhi, because of unchecked transportation and slaughter of lakhs of birds everyday, brought from various other states, plea states.

Plea alleges, Ghazipur Murga Mandi, is the biggest illegal chicken slaughter hub of NCT of Delhi. It functions in complete disregard to the law and follows no veterinary health check protocols. More than 2 lakh birds that are brought into this market daily are not screened for any disease. No ante mortem or post mortem is performed nor are any heath records of the birds maintained. This place is not only an illegal slaughter area but also a breeding ground for pathogens and diseases. Unhygienic conditions in which the Ghazipur Murga Mandi operate in absence of any health check of birds, Avian Influenza can easily spread in this market and could impose severe danger to public health and safety. (ANI)