In a move that has sparked significant discussion across Arunachal Pradesh, the Itanagar Municipal Corporation—or IMC—has issued a fresh directive to the city’s hospitality sector. Hotels and restaurants in the state capital have been instructed to remove references to specific animal meats from their trade licenses and signboards, effective immediately. The order, issued by IMC Joint Commissioner Datum Gadi, points to a rising trend of establishments obtaining trade licenses with names that explicitly mention meats such as pork, chicken, beef, and mutton. According to the civic body, such naming practices are no longer considered appropriate under current municipal standards. The IMC has cited concerns regarding “public sensibilities and decency” as the primary driver behind this decision. The corporation stated that explicit meat branding does not align with the norms of animal welfare and public sensitivity. By invoking the provisions of the Arunachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 2019, the IMC is pushing for a more generalized approach to business naming. The directive is not merely a suggestion. All establishments currently holding trade licenses with these specific references have been ordered to revise them. The IMC is encouraging business owners to adopt “general and appropriate” names that do not highlight specific livestock products on their external branding. A strict deadline has been set. Business owners have exactly 10 days from the date of the order’s issuance to comply with the new regulations. The IMC has warned that failure to remove these references within the stipulated timeframe will attract legal action under relevant municipal laws and bylaws. As the 10-day window begins, local business owners in Itanagar are now tasked with rebranding their storefronts to meet these new standards of urban decorum. Whether this move will be adopted by other civic bodies in the region remains to be seen.
Arunachal Pradesh: Itanagar Municipal Corporation Targets Specific Meat Labels on Trade Licenses
