As the deadline set for shutting down illegal slaughterhouses across the State comes to an end, the Government is yet to come up with a guideline for continuing the business. However, in a major step forward, the Urban Development Department has stepped up in a meaningful manner.
The Department in its latest move following the notification issued for locking down all the illegal abattoirs across the State has written to all the deputy commissioners (DCs) for searching land.
“Since we are in the process of building a modern slaughter house in Ranchi but there is no such facility in other parts of the State. We have written to all the DCs to look for land where modern slaughter houses can be built,” Urban Development Minister CP Singh told The Pioneer on Thursday. At the same time, he admitted that the step would take some time.
The Minister added that entire purpose of going for the modern facility was to make the business healthy, hygienic and decent. “Animals are killed in foreign countries as well but no blood, meat waste and residues are left on the road in unhygienic manner like here. We want to set the things right and allow running the business in a regulated manner,” said Singh.
When contacted, Hazaribagh DC Ravi Shankar Shukla admitted having received the proposal from the Urban Development Department. “We have got a direction in this regard. The municipal corporation has been told to prepare a proposal to be put in the meeting. A tender for building the slaughter house would be floated in the days to come,” the DC.
Some solace in all this has come in the form of modern slaughter house coming up at Kanke in Ranchi. The slaughter house is coming up for goat, sheep meat both in ‘halal’ and ‘jhatka’ forms with slaughtering capacity of 500 animals along with meat processing plant on five acres of land at Kanke. Additional Municipal Commissioner Bidyanath Sharma Pankaj said that the facility is equipped with all the modern machines.
“The machines are being tested now. We have also written to the Animal Husbandry Department for deputing a health official there for medically testing of the goats to be slaughtered over there,” he said and added that by March 31, the process is expected to be complete.
The abattoir would besides components of the halal and jhatka live stock market, have a modern effluent treatment plant, utility services, parking area and other facilities required for successful execution and functioning of the project.
“The slaughtering capacity may increase or decrease depending on existing as well as future requirements of meat in the city. RMC has obtained financial grant for this project from Government of India and State Government. It is good thing for Ranchi as the slaughter house has reached to completion stage on time,” said RMC Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Vijaywargia.
