All slaughterhouses and meat shops in the Eastern Province have been instructed to be closed for one week from today, the Department of Local Government of the Eastern Province announced.
Issuing a statement, the Department said, thereby, the slaughterhouses and meat shops will be closed from 12th-18th December 2022.
The Department of Local Government of the Eastern Province said, however, this closure does not apply to chicken shops in the Eastern Province.
The directive in this regard has been issued by the Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath.
Several cows and goats were reported to have died in the North and Eastern Provinces due to the adverse weather conditions experienced recently.
Rumours were rife of people in the Eastern Province attempting to sell the deceased cattle and goats for human consumption.
Thereby, the Department of Local Government of the Eastern Province said measures have been taken to prevent such attempts.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture says over 1600 animals have died due to adverse weather conditions experienced in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
The ministry said that a total of 1660 animals, including cows and goats, are reported to have died as of 12.00 pm today. (NewsWire)
