Violations At Corporation-Run Abattoir In Pulianthope Put Meat Lovers At Health Risks
Ill-equipped, unhygienic and unmonitored, the corporation's makeshift abattoir in north Chen nai's Pulianthope is posing health risks to the public.While the newly-built modern abattoir next door remains closed over political differences, meat lovers will have to contend with the abysmal conditions under which goats are slaughtered and transported to butcher shops, restaurants and hotels.
Poor or rich, all are at risk, as the Pulianthope slaughterhouse supplies meat to almost the entire city. It slaughters about 2,000 goats on weekdays and nearly 6,000 on Sundays.
While corporation veterinarians have been appointed for daily inspection at the abattoir, they are rarely to be seen, say butchers. Under corporation norms, one veterinarian is required to be on duty for every 500 goats slaughtered.While slaughter begins as early as midnight on Sundays, it starts around 4am on weekdays.
Goats procured from as far as Rajasthan, after days of transit, are offloaded from trucks into the abattoir pen.They are led into the slaughterhouse early morning in herds; they are killed and piled on top of another. The cruel treatment is unavoidable as the slaughterhouse is not large enough to handle the city's meat supply , remarks a butcher.
Overcrowding inside the abattoir, which compounds risk of infection, has led corporation authorities to remove a part of the roof of the hall. With monsoon expected in a month, the corporation officials said they are working on putting fixing the roof and installing an industrial ventilation system.
Outside the slaughter hall, illegal vendors sell meat fat and other animal organs. “ A lot of these vendors sell discarded sick animal parts,“ said a butcher. This practice poses risks as carcasses are loaded onto vehicles just a few feet away . Corporation officials had assured these vendors would be regulated, but to no avail.
Butchers at the abattoir have been demanding extension of the 30,000 sqft facility .“A 10,000 sqft space lies vacant next door. We hope the authorities will allow us to use it.“
With no proper drainage system, the abattoir is overrun with blood and a n i m a l w a s t e.
“The effluents are channelled to the Kodungaiyur treatment plant where they are cleared before they are let out into the environment,“ a corporation official said.
The temporary slaughterhouse was erected four months ago as the modern abattoir failed to open as planned. About 1,000 butchers feared they would lose their employment with the opening of the new mechanised slaughterhouse.
General secretary of the city's Mutton Merchants' Association, Moolakadai Anshu said, “What we want is an abattoir in all 15 zones. This will lessen the load as smaller abattoirs will be easier to monitor.With lesser animals to screen, it will enable a more sanitary approach. We have been making this demand to the corporation, but they haven't paid any heed to us.“
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