The government has announced to step up surveillance of meat shops and slaughterhouses around in Kathmandu the Valley from Sunday.

The newly-formed Ministry of Livestock Development, in conjuction with Ministry of Agriculture Development, and Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, is coordinating the inspection as cases of meat shops selling adulterated or rotten meat have increased lately. 

“All the government stakeholders will conduct coordinated inspection of meat shops and slaughterhouses,” joint secretary at MoLD Shyam Prasad Poudel told a press conference on Thursday. According to Poudel, most of the meat selling outlets do not follow basic hygiene and openly cull animals on roadsides. “Diseases like tuberculosis spread due to such practices.”

A recent study has found that a staggering 90 percent of 2,500 meat shops and around 1,000 fish shops not maintaining basic hygiene. 

The Animal Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act of 1999 remains largely unimplemented, with animals often being slaughtered in dirty areas. The MoLD is also launching a weeklong campaign in the Valley on  Sunday for an effective implemention of the act. The government has allocated Rs1 million for the purpose. Joint Secretary Poudel said the ministry would be focusing its attention next on dairy shops.