TANNERY ROAD:Twice a day, the city’s biggest slaughterhouse which stands on Tannery Road releases blood-filled waste water into the drain outside, much to the inconvenience of commuters and people with shops in the vicinity.
According to mechanics working in the area, the blood-filled refuse is dumped at 9 am and 5.30 pm every day. As a result, the drain has become a source of stench where mosquitoes breed in large numbers.
The dirty water also affects the line of houses located adjacent to the drain. “The smell can be overwhelming at times,” said Vikram Andrew, a resident.
However, those working at the slaughterhouse claim the waste water they dump passes through a pipe that is not connected to the drain. Machines slay thousands of animals in an enclosed area inside the slaughterhouse overnight. “The area is cleaned twice a day and we try to maintain a level of hygiene,” a worker said.
Ahmadali, a member of Richards Town Residents Welfare Association (RTRA), said, “The association has approached the BBMP several times but nothing has been done. Previous corporators too did nothing about the situation. Windows of the houses (that lie adjacent to the drain) have to be shut tightly at all times,” he said.
The BBMP official in charge of the slaughterhouse said the small pipes that are connected to the drainage have rusted and need to be expanded, and this is currently under consideration. He also said the water stagnation in the drain outside cannot be managed by the slaughterhouse.
A K Nanjappa, Joint Director of Animal Husbandry, BBMP, said the ward engineers were instructed to cover the drain, but no tenders have come forward yet. RTRA member Zaffar Sait, who has been taking up the issue with the BBMP over the years, said those who do take up the tender for the project have backed out over the last two years.
In 2013, the association wrote to the BBMP commissioner pointing out that a tender notice on the matter had been published eight times but nothing concrete had materialised still. “Either the cost is too high or officials are not being sincere,” he said.
Meanwhile, East zone engineer B S Prasad told City Express that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the storm water drain department.
Executive Engineer of Storm Water Drains (SWD) Narasimha Murthy said, “To my knowledge, there is no provision allowing the drain to be covered completely. A wall can be built to hide the mess from public eye. I will look into the matter soon.”
