Coronavirus: ‘Ban on Meat, Street Food in Lucknow Will Hit Livelihoods During Holi’

New Delhi: With the spread of the novel coronavirus, a lot of rumours are doing the rounds. The latest being a ban on meat and street food in Uttar Pradesh. This rumour has spread despite the state animal husbandry department issuing a notice stating that consumption of non-vegetarian items won't spread coronavirus. But, the Bharatiya Janata Party led Yogi Adityanath government seems more inclined to go by these rumours, which have created panic among the local residents. 

On Thursday, an order was issued by the district magistrate of Lucknow stating that civic authorities should ensure that there was no open sale of meat, chicken and fish. The areas where animals reside in the open, would undergo fogging, the order is reported to have said.

However, many people in the scientific community feel that such rumours, which lack scientific proof, could hit livelihoods, such as of those running meats shops, who are mostly Muslims and Sikhs. Even the prime minister issued an appeal on Saturday, urging people to guard against rumours and go by medical advice. Hence, the question arises: Is the Adityanath government genuinely concerned about the implications of the virus or is it again making an attempt to divide people on sectarian lines.

Speaking to NewsClick, Dr T Sunder Raman, a reputed public health expert, said such a step by the government would only create unemployment, nothing else. “Coronavirus has nothing to do with non-vegetarian food,”, he said.

Recently, in Telangana, some ministers were seen eating chicken on stage to dispel rumours that were social media induced.

The event was hosted by the National Egg Coordination Committee, Telangana Poultry Breeders Association and Telangana Poultry Federation. It was organised at People’s Plaza on Necklace Road in Hyderabad.

Several health experts blamed social media for spreading false rumours about the virus. According to the hosts of the Telangana event, rumour-mongering has led to 30% decline in chicken consumption and a steep price cut as well. The prices have declined steeply from Rs 80 a kg (live) to Rs 40 a kg. The breeders also claimed that the production cost on its own was Rs 75 per kg.

Experts, too, believe that such rumour-mongering could have serious implications in a state such as Uttar Pradesh and could impact the business of slaughterhouses.  

Meanwhile, Union Fisheries, Dairying and Animal Husbandry Minister Giriraj Singh contradicted the UP government’s move to ban meat and street food.  

Singh said the World Organisation for Animal Health as well as the Indian food safety regulator, FSSAI, have said there was no scientific evidence to prove transmission of coronavirus from animals to humans.

The central government on Friday asked people not to pay attention to false rumours that the novel coronavirus was spreading through non-vegetarian food, such as eggs, chicken, mutton and seafood.

“The false rumour has hit thousands of farmers engaged in this business. The livelihood of farmers and the people engaged in the entire value chain have been affected. I humbly request people not to fall prey to such rumours,” Singh told reporters.

The industry has estimated about Rs 2,000 crore a day loss in the poultry sector alone as prices of chicken have declined by about 70% in just a month alone to Rs 30 per kg in the wholesale market, he said.

He, however, defended the order issued by the Lucknow District Magistrate recently, said it pertained to maintaining general hygiene in the poultry sector and was “misread” and “misinterpreted” in the media, creating further panic among people.

Sandeep Khare, a health activist based in Lucknow, told NewsClick: "This ban is totally perceptional by the district authority as there is no such advisory by the health department. At a time when the country is facing an economic crisis and a festive season is ahead, when labour class people can earn something, banning meat and street food is not a wise decision. If you will see who works in this field, you will find only labour class involved in meat business or street food. There will be a huge loss for them. The administration has not banned such items in big hotels or restaurants.,” adding that “when there is no advisory by the health department, why is the UP government is creating panic among locals?”