SLAUGHTER HOUSES IN INDIA

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi, the 26th March, 2001

S.O.270(E) - Whereas the draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2000 were published, as required by sub-section (1) of section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (59 of 1960), under the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment number S.O. 1165 (E) dated the 26th December, 2000 in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub Section (ii) dated the 27th December, 2000 inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected thereby, before the expiry of the period of sixty days from the date on which copies of the Gazette containing the said notification are made available to the public.

And, whereas copies of the said Gazette were made sufficient for livestock subject to veterinary inspection available to the public on the 1st January 2001.

And, whereas no objection or suggestion has been received from the public in respect of the said draft rules by the Central Government.

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (59 of 1960), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely :

1. Short title and commencement: (1) These rules may be called the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette

2. Definitions - In these rules unless the context otherwise requires -

a) "Act" means the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (59 of 1960);

b) "Slaughter" means the killing or destruction of any animal for the purpose of food and includes all the processes and operations performed on all such animals in order to prepare it for being slaughtered.

c) "Slaughter house" means a slaughter house wherein 10 or more than 10 animals are slaughtered per day and is duly licensed or recognised under a Central, State or Provincial Act or any rules or regulations made thereunder.

d) "veterinary doctor' means a person registered with the Veterinary Council of India established under the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984 (52 of 1984).

3. Animals not to be slaughtered except in recognised or licensed houses - (1) No person shall slaughter any animal within a municipal area except in a slaughter house recognised or licensed by the concerned authority empowered under the law for the time being in force to do so.

(2) No animal which -

(i) is pregnant, or

(ii) has an offspring less than three months old, or

(iii)is under the age of three months or

(iv) has not been certified by a veterinary doctor that it is in a fit condition to be slaughtered.

(3) The municipal or other local authority specified by the Central Government for this purpose shall, having regard to the capacity of the slaughter house and the requirement of the local population of the area in which a slaughter house is situated, determine the maximum number of animals that may be slaughtered in a day.

1. Reception area or resting grounds - (1) The slaughter house shall have a reception area of adequate size sufficient for livestock subject to veterinary inspection.

(2) The veterinary doctor shall examine thoroughly not more than 12 animals in an hour and not more than 96 animals in a day.

(3) The veterinary doctor after examining the animal shall issue a fitness certificate in the form specified by the Central Government for this purpose.

(4) The reception area of slaughter house shall have proper ramps for direct unloading of animals from vehicles or railway wagons and the said reception area shall have adequate facility sufficient for feeding and watering of animals.

(5) Separate isolation pens shall be provided in slaughter house with watering and feeding arrangements for animals suspected to be suffering from contagious and infectious diseases, and fractious animals, in order to segregate them from the remaining animals.

(6) Adequate holding area shall be provided in slaughter house according to the class of animals to be slaughtered and the said holding area shall have water and feeding facilities.

(7) The resting grounds in slaughter house shall have overhead protective shelters.

(8) Ante-mortem and pen area in slaughter house shall be paved with impervious material such as concrete non-slippery herring-bone type suitable to stand wear and tear by hooves, or brick, and pitched to suitable drainage facilities and the curbs of said impervious material 150 to 300 mm high shall be provided around the borders of livestock pen area, except at the entrances and such pen shall preferably be covered.

5. Lairages - (1) Every animal after it has been subjected to veterinary inspection shall be passed on to a lairage for resting for 24 hours before slaughter.

(2) The lairage of the slaughter house shall be adequate in size sufficient for the number of animals to be [aired;

(3) The space provided in the pens of such lairage shall be not less than 2.8 sq.mt. per large animal and 1.6 sq.mt. per small animal

(4) The animals shall be kept in such lairage separately depending upon their type and class and such lairage shall be so constructed as to protect the animals from heat, cold and rain

(5) The lairage shall have adequate facilities for watering and post-mortem inspection.

6. Slaughter - (1) No animal shall be slaughtered in a slaughter house in sight of other animals

(2) No animal shall be administered any chemical, drug or hormone before slaughter except drug for its treatment for any specific disease or ailment.

(3) The slaughter halls in a slaughter house shall provide separate sections of adequate dimensions sufficient for slaughter of individual animals to ensure that the animal to be slaughtered is not within the sight of other animals.

(4) Every slaughter house as soon as possible shall provide a separate space for stunning of animals prior to slaughter, bleeding and dressing of the carcasses

(5) Knocking section in slaughter house may be so planned as to suit the animal and particularly the ritual slaughter; if any and such knocking section and dry landing area associated with it shall be so built that escape from this section can be easily carried out by an operator without allowing the animal to pass the escape barrier.

(6) A curbed-in bleeding area of adequate size as specified by the Central Government shall be provided in a slaughter house and it shall be so located that the blood could not be splashed on other animals being slaughtered or on the carcass being skinned.

(7) The blood drain and collection in a slaughter house shall be immediate and proper

(8) A floor wash point shall be provided in a slaughter house for intermittent cleaning and a hand-wash basin and knife sterilizer shall also be provided for the sticker to sterilize knife and wash his hands periodically.

(9) Dressing of carcasses in a slaughter house shall not be done on floor and adequate means and tools for dehiding or belting of the animals shall be provided in a slaughter house with means for immediate disposal of hides or skins;

(10) Hides or skins shall be immediately transported from a slaughter house either in a closed wheelbarrow or by a chute provided with self-closing door and in no case such hides or skins shall be spread on slaughter floor for inspection

(11) Floor wash point and adequate number of hand wash basins with sterlizer shall be provided in a dressing area of a slaughter house with means for immediate disposal of legs, horns, hooves and other parts of animals through spring load floor chutes or sidewall doors or closed wheelbarrows and in case wheelbarrows or trucks are used in a slaughter house, care shall be taken that no point wheelbarrow or truck has to ply under the dressing rails and a clear passage is provided for movement of the trucks.

12. Adequate space and suitable and properly located facilities shall be provided sufficient for inspection of the viscera of the various types of animals slaughtered in a slaughter house and it shall have adequate facilities for hand washing, tool sterilisation and floor washing and contrivances for immediate separation and disposal of condemned material.

13. Adequate arrangements shall be made in a slaughter house by its owner for identification, inspection and correlation of carcass, viscera and head.

14. In a slaughter house, a curbed and separately drained area or an area of sufficient size, sloped 33 mm per metre to a floor drain, where the carcasses may be washed with a jet of water, shall be provided by the owner of such slaughter house.

7. Slaughter house building - The different construction of a slaughter house shall be built and maintained by its owner in the manner as specified below, namely :

a) Plant Building - (i) Materials used shall be impervious, easily cleansable, and resistant to wear and corrosion. (ii) Materials such as wood, plaster board, and porous acoustic-type boards, which are absorbent and difficult to keep clean shall not be used.

b) Floors - The floors shall be non-absorbent and nonslippery with rough finish and shall have suitable gradient for drainage.

c) Coves - Coves with radii sufficient to promote sanitation shall be installed at the juncture of floors and wall, in all rooms and which shall not be less than 100 mm

(d) Interior Walls - (i) interior walls shall be smooth and flat and constructed of impervious materials such a glazed brick, glazed tile, smooth surface Portland cement plaster, or other non-toxic, non-absorber material applied to a suitable base. (ii) Walls shall b provided with suitable sanitary type bumpers to prevent damage by hand trucks, carcass shunks, and the like. (iii) The interior walls shall have washable surface up to the height of 2 meters from the floor so that the splashes may be washed and disinfected.

(e) Ceilings - (i) Ceilings shall be of the height of 5 mts or more in workrooms and so far as structure conditions permit, ceilings shall be smooth and flat (ii) Ceilings shall be constructed of Portland cement plaster, large size cement asbestos boards with join sealed with a flexible sealing compound, or other acceptable impervious material and finished so as minimise condensation, mould development, flaking and accumulation of dirt. (iii) The walls above glazed type portion and ceiling shall be painted with water resistant paint to maintain them clean.

(f) Window Ledges - Window ledges shall be sloped 45 degrees to promote sanitation and to avoid damage to glass in windows from impact of hand trucks and similar equipment, the windowsills shall be 1200 mm above the floor level with proper ventilation through mechanical venting or through working vents shall be provided in the roof structure.

(g) Doorways and Doors - (i) Doorways through which product is transferred on rails or in hand trucks shall be at least 1500 mm high and shall be atleast 1500 mm wide. (ii) Doors shall either be of rust-resistant metal construction throughout, or if made with rust resistant metal having tight softwood, they shall be clad on both sides with soldered or welded seams. (iii) Doorjambs shall be clad with rust-resistant metal securely affixed so as to provide no crevices for dirt or vermin and the juncture at which the door joins the walls shall be effectively sealed with a flexible sealing compound.

(h) Screens and Insect control - All windows, doorways and other openings that may admit flies shall be equipped with effective insect and rodent screens and 'Fly chaser' fans and ducts or air curtains shall be provided over doorways in outside wall of food handing areas that are used for dispatch or receiving.

(i) Rodent-Proofing-Except in the case of solid masonry, walls constructed of glazed tile, glazed brick, and the like, expanded metal or wire mesh not exceeding 12.5 mm mesh, shall be embedded in walls and floor at their junction and such mesh shall extend vertically and horizontally to a sufficient distance to exclude the entrance of rats and other rodents.

(j) Vehicular areas for Trucks - (i) Concrete paved areas, properly drained and extending at least 6 metres from building, loading docks or livestock platforms shall be provided at places where vehicles are loaded or unloaded. (ii) Pressure washing jets and disinfection facilities for trucks carrying animals shall also be provided at such places.

(k) Drainage - (i) All parts of floors where wet operations are conducted shall be well drained and as far as possible, one drainage inlet shall be provided for each 37 metre square of floor space (ii) A slope of about 20 mm per metre to drainage inlets shall be provided for usual conditions and it shall be ensured that the floor slopes uniformly to drains with no low spots, which collect liquid. (iii) Floor drains shall not be provided in freezer rooms or dry storage areas and when floor drains are installed in rooms where the water seal in traps is likely to evaporate without replenishment, they shall be provided with suitable removable metal screw plugs.

(l) Traps and vents on drainage lines - (i) Each floor drain, including blood drains, shall be equipped with a deep seal trap (P-, U-, or S-shape) (ii) Drainage lines shall be properly vented to the outside air and be equipped with effective rodent screens.

(m) Sanitary drainage lines - Drainage line from toilet pans and urinals shall not be connected with other drainage lines within the plant and s6l not discharge into a grease catch basin and such lines shall be installed so that if leakage develops, it shall not affect the product or the equipment.

(n) Lighting and ventilation - (i) Unrefrigerated work rooms shall be provided with adequate direct natural light and ventilation or ample artificial light and ventilation by mechanical means. (ii) Uncoloured glass having a high transmissibility of light shall be used in skylights and windows (iii) The glass area shall be approximately one-fourth of the floor area of a workroom and such ratio shall be increased where there are obstructions, such as adjacent buildings, overhead catwalks, and hoists, which interfere with the admittance of direct natural light. (iv) Distributed artificial lighting of much quality and at such distances as may be specified by the Central Government shall be provided at all places where adequate natural light is not available or is insufficient.

(o) Every abattoir shall be provided with distributed artificial light of an overall intensity of not less than 200 lux at the distances as may be specified by the Central Government throughout the slaughter hall and workrooms and at places where meat inspection is carried out, the overall intensity of artificial light shall be not less than 500 lux.

(p) every abattoir shall be provided with suitable and sufficient means of ventilation to the outside air and the construction of the slaughter hall shall be so arranged that the dressed carcasses are not exposed to direct sunlight;

(q) a sufficient, safe, potable and constant supply of fresh water shall be available at adequate pressure through the premises.

(r) the pressure for the general purpose of floor washing may preferably be 200 to 330 kPa for through floor cleaning

(s) for thorough and efficient washing of carcasses, a higher pressure between 1000 kPa to 1 700 kPa shall be maintained.

(t) floor washing point shall be provided preferably for minimum 37 meter square on slaughter floor and working departments

1. a constant supply of clean hot water shall be available in the slaughter hall and workrooms during working hours and the hotwater required for frequent sterilising of equipment shall not be less than 82 degree celsius
2. where necessary for sanitary maintenance, equipment shall be constructed and installed so as to be completely self-draining.
3. the following materials shall not be used in an abattoir, namely –

(i) copper and its alloys in equipment used for edible products.

(ii) cadmium in any form in equipment handling edible products

(iii) equipment with painted surface in product zone

(iv) enamel containers or equipment is not desirable and

(v) lead

(x) all permanently mounted equipment shall either be installed sufficiently away from walls (minimum 300 mm) to provide access for cleaning and inspection.

(y) all permanently mounted equipment shall either be installed sufficiently above the floor (minimum 300 mm) to provide access for cleaning and inspection or be completely sealed (watertight) to the floor area.

8. Engagement in slaughter house - (1) No owner or occupier of a slaughter house shall engage a person for slaughtering animals unless he possesses a valid license or authorisation issued by the municipal or other local authority.

(2) No person who has not attained the age of 18 years shall be employed in any manner in a slaughter house.

(3) No person who is suffering from any communicable or infectious disease shall be permitted to slaughter an animal.

9. Inspection of slaughter house - (1) The Animal Welfare Board of India or any person or Animal Welfare Organisation authorised by it may inspect any slaughter house without notice to its owner or the person incharge of it at any time during the working hours to ensure that the provisions of these rules are being complied with.

(2) The person or the Animal Welfare Organisation authorised under sub rule (1) shall after inspection send its report to Animal Welfare Board of India as well as to the municipal or local authority for appropriate action including initiation of legal proceedings if any, in the event of violation of any provisions of these rules.

(F.No.19/1/2000-AWD)

DHARMENDRA DEO, A. Secy.