Residents complain of unavailability of fish, chicken and mutton in the city's markets following UP Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi's directive to curb the sale of meat in unregistered shops.
The Yogi effect in Uttar Pradesh seems to have wiped out fish and meat from the plate of an average non-vegetarian in Noida.
Sandeep Kundu, a resident of Sector 26, complained of the unavailability of fish, chicken and mutton in the city's markets, following UP Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi's directive to curb the sale of meat in unregistered shops.
All the abattoirs in sectors 4, 6, and 8 in Noida have been shut for the past two days following the order. This has left butchers without any work. "What do we do now? We don't know any other work but this," said Sunny Qureshi, who ran a meat shop until two days back.
Mohammed Illiyas, who ran a restaurant in Sector 8, Noida, told City Spidey that he had to shut shop due to the unavailability of buffalo meat in the market.
"Not only buffalo meat, we are unable to procure even chicken, fish and mutton," said Asif Khan, another butcher. "Some of the fish left in stock had to be thrown away, while the rest of it was given away."
Indrish Anand, a resident of Sector 49, Noida, said there was no point closing such shops down abruptly. "Streamlining the business first could have been a better solution," said Anand. "This is daily food for many."
Some buyers City Spidey spoke to evaded the question, citing politics.
Some of the meat sellers said they had not received any official notice from the district administration or the police. "They suddenly just asked us to shut shop, and the ones who objected were roughed up by the police and put behind bars," said Asif Qureshi, a butcher.
A butcher from the Harola market said he had been conducting daily business since 1984, and this was the first time such a step had been taken by the government. "It is our family business and has been so for several generations. And the bit of savings that we have won't last us long," he added.
The decision seems to have pleased animal lovers in the city. "We have been complaining about unregulated butcher shops that openly slaughter animals. It is a good decision and the government must put a blanket ban on all unregulated butcher houses," said an animal lover who did not want to be named.
Dinesh Yadav, SP City, could not be reached for comment.
The butchers and meat sellers have planned to approach the district magistrate and demand a viable solution to the problem.
