GVMC shuts down slaughterhouse in the city.
Visakhapatnam: Following the order of the Union ministry of food processing, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has shut down the slaughter house at Hanumanthawaka. Now all the butchers have to visit the GVMC’s modern abattoir located at Marikavala, around 15 km from the city to slaughter sheep and the cattle. The GVMC’s slaughter house at Hanumanthawaka junction was a major public nuisance due to unbearable stench and traffic jam during the weekends.
Though the GVMC’s modern abattoir has been operational, some butchers requested the collector and the GVMC commissioner to allow the slaughter house citing that modern abattoir is not accessible. Earlier, considering those requests, the GVMC has continued the abattoir for nine months. The corporation closed it following the order from the Union government.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, chief veterinary officer of the GVMC Dr L.K. Sudhakar said that the modern abattoir was constructed on around 12 acres land at Marikavalasa at a cost of Rs 35 crore. It has a capacity to handle 2,500 sheep and goats and around 700 cattle per day and six veterinary doctors will examine the animals before and after the slaughter. The facility is also equipped with a storage capacity of 100 metric tonnes of meat per day.
“The closure of GVMC’s slaughter house at the Hanumanthawaka area has proved to be a major relief for commuters. We will form special teams to keep a check on illegal slaughtering in the city,” he added. However, Sk. Rahman, K.V.A. Rao of AITUC said that the GVMC has to set up slaughter houses at every zone as butchers from Gajuwaka, Anaka-palle, Bheemili and other parts are reluctent to go to the modern abattoir.
