Muharraq councillors seek legal abattoir in Bahrain

Muharraq councillors have demanded a legal abattoir in the governorate before Eid Al Adha which falls in July.

Bahrain has only two licensed slaughterhouses – one in Sitra, in the Capital Governorate, and the other in Hamala, in the Northern Governorate.

However, they cannot meet the rising demand for meat which traditionally soars during Eid Al Adha – the Festival of Sacrifice – which features the slaughtering of an animal.

The Muharraq Municipal Council voted to take up the issue with the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry.

A proposal, spearheaded by Hidd area councillor Abdulaziz Al Ka’abi in co-operation with the Hidd Charity Society, was first submitted to the ministry last year but was rejected due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“The society had fulfilled all the requirements stipulated by the ministry to set up a slaughterhouse last year. It was almost ready for Eid Al Adha and everything was up to standards,” Mr Al Ka’abi told the GDN.

“However, the ministry rejected it and asked us to go to the two licensed slaughterhouses.

“How can the whole country rely on only those two? I have seen cattle dying from heat exhaustion because the queue is so long.”

This, the councillor said, had led to the rise of illegal slaughterhouses, adding that he hoped the slaughterhouse would be approved this year.

The demand for slaughterhouses tends to go up for Eid Al Adha which is expected to be on July 20 this year.

“Everything is ready, we have agreed to reach out to the ministry again so that as soon as they give us the approval we can get started,” said Mr Al Ka’abi.

“Once we get the licence we can have the slaughterhouse operational by Eid Al Adha.”

MPs and municipal councillors have repeatedly warned about the thriving black market in meat with the demand especially rising at the end of Ramadan and during Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Ashoora and the national holidays.

Under the 2018 Public Health Law, the animal resources directorate is responsible for inspecting the legal abattoirs, while the Health Ministry checks out unlicensed slaughterhouses and imposes a fine of BD500 on anyone who butchers an animal outside an authorised slaughterhouse, besides confiscating any or all of the meat that has been so slaughtered.

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