Preamble : Whereas it is expedient to establish slaughterhouse and arrange for meat inspection to safeguard the health and welfare of the people in general and to control adulteration in meat and meat products and to maintain reasonable standard of meat by protecting the wholesomeness, quality and adequacy of meat;
Now, therefore, the Parliament has enacted this Act on the twenty-seventh year of the reign of His Majesty the King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.
1. Short Title and Commencement:
(1) This Act may be called “Animal Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act, 2055” (1999).
(2) This Act shall come into force at the prescribed area from the prescribed date as notified by the Government of Nepal in the Gazettee
2. Definitions:
In this Act, Unless the subject or context otherwise requires:,
(a) “Animal” means castrated or castrated goat, sheep, Himalayan goat (Chyangra), pig, wild pig, he buffalo or rabbit the females of buffalo, goat sheep, Himalayan goat, pig, or rabbit which are fit for meat other than a cow, an ox a bull, and this word also includes poultry, ducks, pigeon or other species of beasts and birds kept for meat purpose.
(b) “Meat” means meat of animals which is fit for human consumption.
(c) “Meat Inspector” means the Meat Inspector appointed or designated under Section 6.
(d) “Meat Supervisor” means the Meat Supervisor designated under Section7.
(e) “Slaughterhouse” means the house or place where animals are slaughtered for meat purpose.
(f) “Meat Seller” means a person who sells meat professionally.
(g) “Prescribed” or “As Prescribed” means prescribed or as prescribed in the Rules framed under this Act.
3. No Establishment of a Slaughterhouse or Selling of Meat be Made Without License: Nobody shall establish a slaughterhouse or become a meat seller without obtaining license under this Act.
4. Establishment of Slaughterhouse:
(1) The Government of Nepal may establish slaughterhouse in any area of Nepal by a notification published in the Nepal Gazettee.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in Sub-section(1), the Government of Nepal may give permission as prescribed to the non-governmental (Private) sector also to establish a slaughterhouse.
(3) The terms and conditions to be followed and the specification to be met at the time of establishment and operation of a slaughterhouse under Sub- section (1) or (2) shall be as prescribed.
5. License:
(1) A person or an organization interested to establish a slaughterhouse or selling of meat shall have to apply for a license in the prescribed format to the prescribed officer.
(2) If an application is received under Sub-section (1) the prescribed officer shall make necessary inquiries on such application and may issue a license in the prescribed format for the establishment of a slaughterhouse of a
slaughterhouse or for selling meat.
(3) The terms and conditions to be followed by a meat seller shall be as prescribed.
6. Appointment of Meat Inspector:
(1) In order to examine animal and meat, the Government of Nepal may appoint or designate a person who is at least a graduate in veterinary science as a Meat Inspector.
(2) The other function, duties and powers of the Meat Inspector, in addition to the functions, duties and powers mentioned in this Act, shall be as prescribed
7. Designation of a Meat Supervisor:
(1) The Government of Nepal may designate a Meat Supervisor to any civil servant who is at least a graduate in veterinary science, for the supervision of the slaughterhouse management as well as for the supervision of the functions of the Meat Inspector.
(2) The Government of Nepal may designate the Meat Supervisor to act as Meat Inspector in case where no Meat Inspector has been appointed.
(3) Other functions, duties and powers of the Meat Supervisor shall be as prescribed.
8. Examination of Animals before slaughtering (Ante-Mortem Examination):
(1) Any animal to be slaughtered shall be produced for ante-mortem examination at the slaughterhouse where such place is established and where slaughterhouse has hot yet been established at the site as specified by the Meat Supervisor. The procedure for examination of animal shall be as prescribed.
(2) If an animal is found fit for slaughtering, the Meat Inspector shall give permission of slaughtering of such animal with some marking.
(3) If an animal is found diseased upon inspection under Sub-section (1) the Meat Inspector may prohibit to slaughter such animal.
9. Slaughtering of an Animal to be Carried out in the Slaughterhouse:
(1) An animal fit for slaughtering under Section 8 shall have to be slaughtered in the slaughterhouse.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in Sub-section (1), if there is no slaughterhouse in any area animals shall have to slaughtered at such place and time as specified by the Meat Supervisor.
10. Examination of Meat of the Slaughtered Animal:
(1) The Meat Inspector shall have to inspect the meat of the slaughtered under Section 9 as prescribed.
(2) If any defect or disease is found in the meat of the slaughtered animal upon examination under Sub-section (1), the Meat Inspector may partially or completely prohibit the sale or distribution of such meat.
(3) For the purpose of this Section the Government of Nepal may specify a laboratory for the examination of meat.
11. Prohibition on the Sale of Meat:
(1) No sale of meat of the animal other than as mentioned in Sub-section (1) of Section 2 shall be allowed.
(2) No sale of meat of dead animal due to disease or any other cause shall be allowed.
(3) No sale of meat with skin shall be allowed.
Provided that, this Section shall not prevent to sell the meat of birds, pigs, wild pigs or boars and the meat of species identifying organs or portions or head or legs of the animal with skin.
12. Stamp or Marking of Meat:
(1) The Meat Inspector shall have to affix clearly visible stamp or mark as prescribed at the time of giving permission for the sale of meat after the examination of meat of the animal.
(2) No meat seller shall sell any meat without having stamped or marked under Sub-section (1)
13. No Adulterated Meat shall be Sold:
(1) No sale of meat shall be made by deceiving the species of animal or by adulterating meat of one species of animal
with other species of animal.
(2) No sale of meat shall be made having adulteration of meat with any substance that alters the normal quality or taste or weight of meat.
14. Fees To Be Paid: Fees for the inspection of animal or meat under this Act shall be as prescribed
15. Authority to Enter: The Meat Inspector or the Meat Supervisor may enter into a slaughterhouse or butcher’s shop at any time to inspect an animal or meat or to take sample of meat. It shall be the duty of all concerned to help on this work.
16. No Objection: Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in this Act, there shall be no objection to slaughter an animal in places other than a slaughterhouse or to consume meat with skin on the occasion of traditional festivals, religious rituals, feasts or spiritual ceremonies.
17. Penalties:
(1) A person who violets Sub-section (1) or (3) of Section 8, Section 9, Sub-section (2) of Section 10, Sub-section (3) of Section 11 or Sub-section (2) of Section 12 shall be liable to a fine up to Five Thousand Rupees for the first time
and Ten Thousand Rupees or an imprisonment up to one month or both from the second time and onwards for each offence.
(2) A person who violets Section 3, Sub-section (1) or (2) of Section 11 or Section 13 shall be liable to a fine up to Ten Thousand Rupees for the first time and Twenty Thousand Rupees or an imprisonment up to three months or both
from the second time and onwards for each offence.
18. Delegation of Authority: The Government of Nepal delegate the authority conferred to it under this Act to any agencies as per necessity.
19. Government of Nepal to be a Plaintiff: Government of Nepal shall be a plaintiff in the case under this Act
20. Investigation of the Case and File Thereof:
(1) The Meat Inspector shall initiate the investigation of the case under this Act and shall file the case after completing the investigations to the Judicial Authority.
(2) The investigating personnel may seek advice with the Government Attorney at the time of submitting the case to the Judicial Authority.
21. Judicial Authority: The Judicial and Appeal Hearing Authority for cases under this Act shall be as prescribed.
22. To Be As Per the Prevailing Laws: The matters contained in this Act shall be as per this Act and matters not provided for in this Act shall be as per the prevailing laws.
23. Power to Frame Regulation: The Government of Nepal may frame necessary Rules for carrying out the objectives of this Act.
24. Repeal: No 3 and No 16 of the Chapter on cattle (Fourfooted Animal) of Muluki Ain (The General Code) is, hereby, repealed.