CHENNAI: The five-day controversy over the alleged sale of dog's meat in Chennai ended on Thursday with Chennai Collector announcing that meat samples seized by Food safety officials at Egmore station were that of goat/sheep.
Quoting the report submitted by Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, A Shanmugasundaram, Chennai Collector said in a statement that the meat sample is that of the small ruminant carcass (goat/sheep).
According to a report submitted by professor and head of the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology of Madras Veterinary College, incomplete closure of growth plates indicated the pre-pubertal age of carcass, thereby proving that carcass was that of a goat.
Further, results obtained from the molecular technique of carcass by Meat Science department and gross morphological inspections by Veterinary Autonomy departments of Madras Veterinary College also confirmed that samples were the meat of sheep.
On November 17, food safety officials seized 2190 kgs of unwholesome meat at Egmore station transported from Jodhpur by Bhagat Ki Kothi - Mannargudi weekly express. Since the carcass appeared to that of a dog with long tails, video of meat seizure went viral on social media.
Even as the wholesale meat traders insisted that the meat were that of goat, the samples were been sent to Veterinary college for examination.
As food safety officials remained tight-lipped till Wednesday, an NGO filed a petition in Madras High Court seeking a directive to the government to make public the test results of meat.
The meat was in unhygienic condition and did not have the seal of a slaughterhouse where the animals were killed. Besides, the Chennai collector justified food safety official's action stating that meat was transported in unhygienic
condition violating the food safety guidelines.
"The meat received at Egmore was not certified by a veterinarian and also transported without adequate cold chain mandated for meat transportation. Hence food safety officials seized the meat and subsequently destroyed it," explained the collector.
R Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration, Chennai told Express that detailed guidelines to be followed for meat transportation within the city and from other
states will be issued soon.
S Nazer, a wholesale meat dealer, Perambur, who regularly receives meat from Andhra Pradesh charged that officials and a section of media have no knowledge on the different species of goat in the country. "Carcass of sheep with long tails (15 to 20 cm) is being transported from Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha for several years. The government must take action against those who spread rumours that it was dog's meat," he said.