The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to place before it a comprehensive scheme to permanently prevent illegal meat, poultry and fish shops from operating within a 10-kilometre radius of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

Terming the issue “serious”, the court said it could later direct the authorities to provide police protection to civic officers during drives against such shops, to ensure they can carry out enforcement action without intimidation or threats.

A bench of Justices Ajey S Gadkari and Kamal R Khata was hearing an interim application filed by Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), seeking compliance with earlier court orders concerning the bird-hit hazard posed by illegal slaughtering, which can attract predatory birds, as well as implementation of the Aircraft Rules.

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MIAL told the court that earlier directions were not sufficiently complied with for more than a decade and sought a direction to BMC to finalise a scheme.

BMC lawyer Oorja Dhond submitted an action-taken report covering 323 unauthorised meat shops across 13 municipal wards between January and August this year.

However, after the BMC claimed that enforcement action was being carried out, the bench questioned why the shops continued to reopen on days when there was no drive.

The court was informed that, according to the civic body’s affidavit, vendors continued to operate on non-drive days despite the seizure of livestock and goods. The BMC said “several shops remained closed during the enforcement drive (by the BMC and Airport Authority of India)” but were “known to operate regularly on other days”.

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The civic body said this indicated that “unlicensed poultry vendor activities are continuing in the area despite the ongoing enforcement efforts.”

“Suppose the shops are totally unauthorised, can’t you demolish them or remove them like you’re removing encroachments on the road? Consider this,” the bench told the BMC.

The court said that, given the difficulties faced by civic officials during enforcement drives in areas including Kurla surrounding the airport, where there are dense slums, it could direct senior police authorities to provide personnel permanently to protect civic officers carrying out their lawful duties.

“This has to be stopped,” the court said.

The BMC sought time to place before the court a comprehensive scheme along with a list of licensed shops in the area. The court granted the request and posted the matter for further hearing after two weeks.