Kochi: Delayed for several years, the Kochi Corporation has finally selected an agency for preparing the detailed project report for the modern slaughterhouse proposed at Marakkadavu in Mattancherry. The recent Corporation council meeting has approved the quotation submitted by a Kannur based agency named CFFPS for DPR preparation. The Rs 2 crore project will resolve the issue of extensive unauthorised and unhygienic slaughtering in city.
“The civic body will execute the project using plan funds and the proposal will be included in 2019-20 fiscal. Once, the project is realised it will drastically improve the hygiene standards of slaughtering and meat trading in the city. At present, the civic body is not in a position to take action against the illegal butchering in west Kochi areas, since there is no authorised abattoir in the area,” said V.K. Minimol, health committee chairperson.
“Along with construction of Mattancherry abattoir, the existing slaughterhouse at Kaloor will be renovated. Once, the facilities are completed the civic body can take stern action against unh-ygienic and illegal butch-ering in open places,” she added.
All the earlier proposals considered by the civic body, including a PPP plan, for setting up the abattoir at Mattancherry failed due to different reasons. Earlier, a government approved agency M/S Virgo Aqua had submitted DPR, tender document and design estimate of the abattoir with most modern butchering equi-pments. However, it didn’t succeed due to shortage of funds.
“Earlier, the Corporation sought funding from external agencies to set up the facility. But, the area where the abattoir is proposed has only 45 cents of land which is inadequate as per funding agencies’ guideline. The agencies stipulated 50 cents. Hence the civic body has decided to execute the project using plan funds,” added Minimol.
As per unofficial estimates of the Health Department, more than 90 per cent of meat sold in the city is uncertified from unlicensed slaughterhouses.
