A Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) will be used and it will help in avoiding a mix up between halal and jhatka goats, while ensuring that owners get back their own animals. The RFID, which will be tagged to the front leg of the goat or sheep, will act like a bar code and have details about the animals as well as their owners. The name of the owner, weight and age of the animal, and also whether it is meant for jhatka or halal slaughter, will be mentioned in the chip.

The MCD has been receiving complaints that jhatka and halal meats are often mixed together and this could hurt the religious sentiments of some communities.

“Butchers who have been bringing their animals for slaughter here have complained that their healthy animals are being exchanged with unhealthy ones. Though the gates for jhatka and halal slaughter houses are separate, we have also received complaints that jhatka and halal meats get mixed up,” an MCD engineer said at the slaughterhouse.

“If the details on the RFID chip indicate that a goat is to be slaughtered in the halal section and if by any chance it goes to the jhatka section, the gate will not allow the animal to pass and it will be carried to the section mentioned in the RFID chip,” the engineer said.

Amiya Chandra, the ADC of the Remunerative Project Cell at the MCD, said: “The RFID chip also means that only animals that are fit to be slaughtered will be accepted. In case a goat is underweight, less than three months of age or is unhealthy, the chip will not take the animal into the slaughtering unit.”

After the animal is slaughtered, its owner can submit a token and take away the meat. “In case of any objection by the owner, the chip can be used to verify and settle the matter,” the MCD engineer said.

At the end of this process, the RFID chip will be sent for recycling.