The Delhi High Court on Monday ordered a ban on chicken slaughter at the Ghazipur poultry market citing pollution and violation of rules in the area, PTI reported. The court ordered the Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board to shut down poultry slaughter houses in the area within a week but allowed the sale of live birds.

The bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice VK Rao was hearing a public interest litigation that alleged that the poultry birds are being sold and slaughtered illegally at the market in East Delhi.

The ban follows the failure of the Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board to comply with a August 31 court order that directed the shutting down of poultry slaughter houses that were not approved by the pollution panel.

The court ordered the authorities to submit a compliance report within a week and demanded a plan for a designated slaughter house in the area. “Taking note of the circumstances and the inaction of the authorities, we have no option but to direct that in the Ghazipur murga mandi, no slaughtering of birds will be permitted henceforth,” the court said.

The bench also took cognisance of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee report based on an inspection on April 24 that recommended a closure of the slaughterhouses while citing several violations.

The judges rejected an argument against the ban from the traders who claimed it would affect their livelihood, The Hindu reported. “Let the traders deal with the statutory authorities, no sympathy with all these things,” the bench said. “We are concerned with the larger issue of pollution in the area.”