THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The centralised modern abattoir, which is under construction at Kunnukuzhy in the state capital, is all set to be commissioned in June. The Rs 10-crore project was originally scheduled to start operations in April 2022. But the deadline could not be met as the construction activities were not completed.
The corporation then planned to open it by March 31, 2023, to ensure the completion of the financial aspects of the project this fiscal itself. However, the construction of the rendering plant in the abattoir is yet to be completed, and approval from the Pollution Control Board (PCB) is yet to be received.
A source associated with the project told TNIE that the installation of a transformer, plumbing, and landscaping works are the other works pending at the unit. “All the machinery has arrived. We will soon install the machinery at the rendering plant outside the slaughterhouse.
Most of the civil works have been completed. Two trees need to be cut down for the installation of the transformer. We are waiting for the corporation’s approval to cut the trees,” the source said. The rendering plant will crush the bones and skin of the meat that comes from the abattoir units, and it will be treated into biogas at the effluent treatment plant.
According to Binu Francis, corporation secretary, the civic body can commission the project by June if the approval from the PCB is obtained on time. “Once we get a green signal from the PCB, we will speed up the works and the plant could be made operational by next month,” said Binu.
As per the current capacity of the abattoir, 120 animals can be slaughtered at a time without polluting the area. In 2012, the PCB sealed the only authorised slaughterhouse owned by the corporation as it did not have a proper waste disposal mechanism. Since then, several efforts initiated by the civic body to reopen the abattoir have failed, leading to the mushrooming of illegal outlets in the capital.
With the setting up of the modern abattoir, illegal slaughterhouses in the city will be closed down. Instances of bird strikes on aircraft landing at the Thiruvananthapuram airport could be avoided as the high bird density in the Poonthura and surrounding areas is due to the illegal slaughterhouses functioning in the region.
Kerala Electrical and Allied Engineering Company (KEL) is the executing agency of the project. Earlier, the corporation had extended the contract period for KEL, as the contract ended on March 31 last year. The work is currently being carried out under a subcontract with a Lucknow-based company.
PCB to give green signal