KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has held the municipalities will be responsible to ensure proper disposal of offal, without creating health hazard. Offal is the waste generated from slaughtering of animals.
Citing several reports, the court observed it is very dangerous to consume offal, even leading to mad cow disease. “It will then be the responsibility of the municipality not only to enforce licensing in this trade, but also to monitor as to what is done with the offal taken either by the auction purchasers, so that it may not find a way to the open market to be taken as a normal food item or mixed with other meat items and sold as normal meat,” the court held.
The court made it clear it would be the responsibility of the municipality to curb its user. The municipality should ensure proper disposal of waste items without creating any further health hazard. The court issued the order on a petition filed by the Tiruvalla municipality challenging the order of the Single Judge stating the contractors have the right to handle slaughter waste generated at slaughterhouses.
The municipality had auctioned the right to collect, store and sell or deal animal waste generated at the municipal slaughterhouse/abattoir. The vendors said they have licensed meat vendors, who purchase livestock like cow, buffalo and goat and bring them to the municipal abattoir, where they are slaughtered and prepared for sale. In the process, intestines and other wastes such as hide, horn and hoof are generated. They have the right to collect and sell them and it cannot be taken away, the vendors submitted.According to the municipality, it cannot allow anyone to remove meat, hide, horn, hooves and offal without licence under Rules. The court said if the vendors apply for a licence to deal in offal, the municipality would consider grant of the licence in accordance with law.