Thiruvananthapuram corporation dream of modern abattoir close to reality

Thiruvananthapuram: After several years of impasse, the city corporation’s ambition to set up a modern abattoir in the state capital is finally becoming a reality. The corporation has roped in KEL (Kerala Electrical and Allied Engg.Co.Ltd) for implementing the project which would ensure regular supply of safe and quality meat to the residents.

Mayor V.K. Prasanth told DC that the negotiations held with the company the other day were a success. “They agreed to deliver the project at the cost estimated by us. The project cost is expected to be around `9.58 crore. An agreement would be signed within two days,” said the Mayor.

Earlier, the expression of interest (EoI) invited by the civic body to set up the modern abattoir a couple of months back had no takers. The civic body went for a re-tender because only a single bidder took part in the bidding process. Mayor V.K. Prasanth said that the project would be completed within 9 months.

“We will be signing a three-year operation and maintenance contract with KEL. They will renovate the existing structure at Kunn-ukuzhy and machinery would be procured and installed,” he said.

The State Pollution Control Board shut down the corporation-owned slaughterhouse for not having proper waste disposal mechanism back in 2012. Si-nce then, several efforts made by the civic authorities to reopen the abattoir failed.

The civic body got the technical sanction and permission from the PCB to go ahead with the proposal. Current-ly, the state capital doesn’t have an authorised slaughterhouse to cater to the need of the public.

“Modern abattoir is something which is unknown to many. We don’t have a model slaughterhouse with modern facility anywhere in the state,” said the official.