Chandigarh: The municipal corporation (MC) Chandigarh has placed its draft Meat, Fish, Poultry Shops and Commercial Food Establishments Byelaws, 2026 in the public domain, inviting suggestions, objections and observations from residents and stakeholders. The move comes after the draft received approval from the MC general house earlier this month.The civic body has given the public 15 days to review the proposed regulations and submit feedback before the byelaws are finalised. The draft has been uploaded on the MC’s official website and responses can be sent via email to c.dbranchmoh@gmail.com or submitted in writing to the office of the medical officer of health (MOH), 30 Bays Building, Sector 17-B.MC officials said all suggestions and objections received during the consultation period will be examined on merit and incorporated where considered practical and necessary. The revised draft will then be placed before the general house once again for approval before issuance of the final notification.The proposed byelaws seek to tighten regulation of meat, fish and poultry businesses across the city. Key provisions include making central FSSAI licences subject to an annual No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the MC, mandatory slaughter of sheep, goats and pigs at the corporation’s modern slaughterhouse in Industrial Area Phase I, official ink stamping of meat and preservation of invoices for 30 days.The draft also prescribes stringent sanitary norms, including air-conditioned processing units, marble workstations, deep freezers operating below minus 18°C and dedicated storage and handling facilities for pork products.For enforcement, the byelaws empower authorities to impose structured penalties, confiscate products and seal shops or kitchens for violations.Box: Tougher Penalties ProposedThe draft introduces a detailed penalty framework for various violations and identifies designated officers authorised to enforce the rules. During deliberations, MC councillors unanimously raised the proposed fine for the sale, storage or processing of prohibited meat, cow flesh and beef from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh. They also recommended registration of FIRs under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for such offences.What The New Byelaws Propose/ Byelaws Tighten Rules for Meat Trade/Key Changes in Draft Meat PolicyAnnual MC NOC mandatory for operations holding central FSSAI licencesSheep, goat and pig slaughter to be carried out only at the MC slaughterhouse in Industrial Area Phase IOfficial ink stamping of meat made compulsoryInvoices to be preserved for 30 days for verificationAir-conditioned processing areas and marble workstations mandatoryDeep freezers required to maintain temperatures below -18°CSeparate storage and handling arrangements for pork productsPowers to confiscate products and seal shops/kitchens for violationsFine for sale, storage or processing of prohibited meat, cow flesh and beef raised to ₹5 lakhProvision to register FIRs under relevant BNS sections for serious violations
