Chennai: Are you a meat eater? Then think twice before purchasing it in Chennai. The slaughterhouses in the city, from where the meat is sent to the vendors, are in a deplorable condition, says the TNPCB.
In an affidavit filed by the board before the southern bench of the national green tribunal on Friday, it stated that the slaughterhouses, run by Chennai corporation, were in poor condition, which could lead to the supply of sub-standard meat to consumers and the possibility, in turn, of endemic diseases.
TNPCB filed the affidavit on a petition by People for CaÂttle in India, seeking the ban of illegal slaughterhouÂses in Chennai. The board infoÂrmed the bench, comprising judicial member juÂsÂtice M. ChockÂalingam and exÂpert member, Dr R. NaÂgeÂndran, that it had conducted inspections of slauÂghtÂerhouses in PuliÂantÂhope, Saidapet and VilliÂvÂÂakkam.
The corporation of Chennai delayed granting permission for starting a modernised slaughterhouse in Pulianthope. The slaughtering was carried out in an unhygienic manner, and the waste generated was not disposed of properly.
The slaughterhouses in Villivakam and Saidapet did not have permission for an effluent treatment plant anÂd were discharging untreÂated effluents into the public sÂewer. Hence, Chennai corÂÂpÂoration had issued them a notice.
In its reply, the corporation stated that action had been initiated against 850 unlicensed meat stalls in Chennai. SlaughtÂerhoÂuses in VilliÂvakÂkam and Saidapet have been modernÂised and the PulianÂthoÂpe slaughter house is under the process of moderniÂsation. Dissatisfied over the response,the NGT directed the corporation to file a detailed report at the next hearing on January 22.
