Mumbai, Sep 8 (Mumbai Mirror): There will be no animal slaughter in Mumbai for four days during Paryushan, the fasting period of the Jain community. The civic body has asked slaughterhouses to be shut on September 10, 13, 17 and 18.

The decision by the civic body was announced a week after the BJP delegation led by MLAs -Atul Bhatkhalkar, Raj Purohit and a leader from Jain community met civic chief Ajoy Mehta demanding an eight-day ban from September 10.

Civic officials claimed it is a routine procedure and the corporation imposes such a ban every year. "The ban is not only for the Jain festival. The Ganpati festival is on one of the days of the four days," a civic official said on condition of anonymity.

Earlier, the BJP, which had won the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) polls last year, voted for a ban on sale of meat and slaughter of animals for an eight-day period. Jain Swetambaras will fast between September 11 and 18 and the Digambaras will observe Paryushan from September 18 to 27. The 2011 census puts the region's population at 8.5 lakh. Of this, around 1.25 lakh are Jains.

The BJP had in fact sought an 18-day ban, but strong opposition from the Sena meant that the ruling party settled for eight days. The civic body on Monday announced the four day shutdown.