Animal Slaughter and Meat Inspection Act remains largely unimplemented after 27 years

Kathmandu. Even 27 years after the enactment of the Animal Slaughter and Meat Inspection Act, 2055, it has been implemented in only three cities. Furthermore, the implementation in those three cities began only 10 years after the Act was passed.

The Act came into effect only on Jestha 15, 2065. Section 2 of the Act states that it shall apply only to areas specified by the Government of Nepal through a notice published in the Nepal Gazette. According to Chief Veterinarian Sujan Rana of the Veterinary Quality and Drug Regulation Laboratory, the Act is currently implemented only in Hetauda, Butwal, and Surkhet. He informed RSS that the failure to implement the Act across all cities in the country is negatively impacting public health.

Chief Veterinarian Rana noted that this situation persists because there is no designated body to enforce the Act, and no implementation unit has been established within the Department of Livestock Services. Although the lack of implementation affects food hygiene, relevant authorities have failed to prioritize its enforcement.

Chief Veterinarian Rana emphasizes that the lack of sufficient technical staff capable of inspecting meat could have serious public health consequences, and relevant agencies must pay urgent attention to this issue.