New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS): In an interim direction, the Delhi High Court on Monday banned the slaughter of poultry at the Ghazipur Murga Mandi here till further orders.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao, however, allowed sale of live chicken at the market and listed the matter for further hearing on October 29.

The court asked the authorities to file an affidavit indicating a plan to set up a designated slaughter house in the area.

The order came on a report filed by the Delhi Pollution Control Board which has raised violation of animal welfare laws at the Mandi and sought its closure.

The court turned down the plea.

"We are concerned with the larger issue of pollution in the area," the judges said.

The court was hearing a plea filed by animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi, who alleged that there was indiscriminate violation of animal rights and blatant abuse of animal welfare laws at the Mandi.

Maulekhi said the poultry were openly slaughtered in the Ghazipur market without obtaining any licence.

The petitioner requested the court to direct the Commissioner of the Food Safety Department to stop illegal slaughter of poultry in the national capital and that all such slaughter should be done in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Licence and Registration Regulation.

The counsel also sought a committee for weekly inspections at the Mandi to ensure that there was no violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.