Kochi Corporation to set up temporary slaughterhouse at Kaloor

The corporation will hold a meeting on Monday to discuss the issue of setting up the temporary slaughterhouse, officials said.
Slaughterhouse, Representational image  (Photo | EPS)
Slaughterhouse, Representational image (Photo | EPS)

KOCHI: Kochi Corporation is likely to set up a temporary slaughterhouse after the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) issued a notice recently to shut down the illegally functioning slaughterhouse at Kaloor. A temporary slaughterhouse will be set up in the same area. The corporation will hold a meeting on Monday to discuss the issue of setting up the temporary slaughterhouse, officials said.

The move comes after the corporation was forced to make an alternative arrangement to slaughter cattle to meet the demand for meat in the Easter-Ramzan season. “Discussions are ongoing to set up a temporary slaughterhouse near the existing one following the PCB norms. The temporary slaughterhouse will have the facility to store the blood of the cattle, instead of draining it into the Thevara-Perandoor canal,” said T K Ashraf, corporation health standing committee chairman. “A meeting in this regard will be held on Monday to finalise all measures that need to be taken,” he added.

“The absence of a legal slaughterhouse will prompt the meat vendors to start illegal slaughtering in the city. Chances are that substandard meat will be sold in the city if the slaughterhouse is shut down without an alternative. The corporation has to identify a solution to this problem as it is a matter of the health of the public,” said corporation councillor M G Aristotle.

Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has been assigned for funding the renovation work of the slaughterhouse. “The new slaughterhouse will incorporate modern facilities and technologies. The paperwork for the project is progressing. Once the technical sanction is received, the funding body will begin the work, “said Ashraf.

The civic body has allowed the slaughtering of existing cattle till Sunday and has issued a notice to shut it down by Monday afternoon. Opposition leader Antony Kureethara said the closing down of the slaughterhouse is due to the carelessness of the corporation. “The corporation should identify a better place to set up the slaughterhouse rather than construct it in the city.

This will cause inconvenience to the public as it’s next to the metro station, bus station, and early cancer detection centre, “said Kureethara, The health committee chairman said the corporation has earmarked Rs 1 crore for the renovation work of the Marakkadavu slaughterhouse this year.

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