CHENNAI: The Union government has asked the State government to file a report by Friday (March 11) on whether slaughter houses in the State have complied with the directions of the 2012 Supreme Court order. In a letter dated March 7, Anil Sant, joint secretary, Union Ministry of Environment, has requested K Gnanandesikan to email the report before Friday.The report, to be prepared by the State government, will be submitted before the apex court when the case will come up for hearing on April 4.
While social activists have raised doubts over the compliance of the SC directives with regard to slaughter houses, Chennai Corporation officials have told Express that the apex court’s directives with respect to slaughter houses are being complied with. However, the founder of People for Cattle for India, Arun Prasanna, disagrees and says that the State government is not complying with the strictures passed by the Supreme Court.
Chennai has three slaughter houses located at Perambur, Villivakkam and Saidapet. A new state-of-the art slaughter house is planned at Kallikuppam in Ambattur.
Of the three, two -- Villivakkam and Saidapet - have effluent treatment plants. While a biomethanation plant is planned for the Perambur slaughter house, the facility is yet to come up. Prasanna opines that the Perambur slaughter house should be shut down. “How much time does it require? Slaughter House is a red industry and those without effluent treatment plants should be shut down,” said Prasanna. Prasanna’s contention is that the State committee for slaughter houses
mandated by the Supreme Court remains on paper. He alleges the committee hardly ever meets. Corporation officials, however, deny the allegation. Prasanna also alleges that steroids are injected into animals before killing them. “The quality of meat being consumed goes unchecked,” he contends.
The Centre has asked the state to provide a detailed 14 point summary of actions taken to comply with the Supreme Court order. It is learnt that the actions taken by the State will be discussed during a joint meeting of representatives of all State government and Union territories on March 18 at New Delhi.