THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After remaining shut for nearly a decade, the long-awaited reopening of the Kunnukuzhy slaughterhouse is finally on the horizon, with the city corporation in the final stages of signing an operation and maintenance (O&M) contract with MR Farms — the agency that secured the bid.
The move comes after multiple delays, including an unsuccessful first tender that failed to attract bidders, stalling the plan to begin operations on World Environment Day. The revamped facility, which boasts a capacity to handle 50 to 75 small and large animals, is the first-of-its-kind in the state and has been developed to meet modern standards of hygiene, environmental safety, and animal welfare.
According to corporation officials, the facility will undergo a one-month trial run once the contract is signed. A senior official of the civic body said that a lab facility needs to be set up at the abattoir as per the specification mandated in the rules. “It will cost around Rs 30 to 40 lakh and the contractor will be setting up the facility,” the official said.
The new agreement includes an annual rent arrangement under which the contractor will pay Rs 75 per large animal and Rs 15 per small animal to the civic body, with a 10% annual hike. A payment of Rs 1,500 and Rs 300 has been fixed for slaughtering large and small animals respectively. The slaughter house is equipped with a slew of modern infrastructure, including an effluent treatment plant (ETP), biogas units, chilling rooms, odour control systems, and a rendering plant to manage waste.
Over 70% of the operations are mechanised, aimed at ensuring clean and safe meat for city residents.However, despite nearing operational status, the facility still awaits mandatory approvals and registration from agencies such as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the State Pollution Control Board.
A senior official of the city corporation said that a month-long trial run is crucial to assess the performance of the facility.
“We need to ensure that the facility is functional and doesn’t cause any pollution,” the official added. The civic body also plans to curb illegal slaughtering in the corporation limits once the facility becomes functional.