THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The construction of the modern centralised abattoir in Kunnukuzhy has come to a standstill as the city corporation has yet to hand over an amount of Rs 73 lakh to the contractor. The delay in the disbursement of money from the state treasury has led to the crisis. As the construction work has been adversely affected, the commissioning of the project is unlikely shortly.
The construction of the effluent treatment plant (ETP), which is a major component of the slaughterhouse, was started only recently, as it received technical sanction from the State Suchitwa Mission only last month. The contract for the project was given to the Kerala Electrical and Allied Engineering Company (KEL).
The corporation officials had earlier said that the project would be commissioned in 2023. However, it did not materialise due to the delay in the construction activities. “We need to give Rs 73 lakh to the contractor. There are some issues with fund disbursal from the treasury. I hope it will be resolved soon. Once the payment is done, all the work will be completed in a few weeks. We are making efforts to commission the project before March 31, “said corporation secretary Binu Francis.
During the project execution stage, the Suchitwa Mission identified some design flaws in the initial proposal of the effluent treatment plant and sought modifications. Originally slated to open in April 2022, the Rs10-crore project experienced delays due to the sluggish construction work. Attempts were subsequently made by the city corporation to launch the abattoir either in May or June.
After the completion of the construction work, the ETP will need approval from the Kerala State Pollution Control Board. However, a corporation official has said that the PCB approval could be obtained in a week or so. All the machinery and equipment, as well as the plumbing lines and transformers, have been successfully installed. The abattoir has facilities for the simultaneous slaughter of 120 animals without causing pollution concerns. The PCB sealed the corporation’s sole authorised slaughterhouse in 2012 due to inadequate waste disposal measures. It led to the sprouting of illicit outlets within the city. The modern abattoir is expected to facilitate the closure of these unlawful slaughterhouses.