Waste management: Kozhikode corporation may set up rendering plant

KOZHIKODE: Kozhikode Municipal Corporation is planning to establish a rendering plant in city to convert the slaughter house waste into fertilizers or animal feed. A recent inspection by the officials in the various meat stalls in city had found that the waste is not disposed in scientific way, rather it is disposed into drainage, water sources and other public places causing difficulty to public which in turn pose serious health issues. At present the corporation has given contract to private firms to dispose the slaughter   waste. The rendering plant, proposed by district collector U. V. Jose, would be a boon for the district at large as well as for the meat stall owners who  currently face the difficulty to dispose it according to the prescribed rules.

The rendering plant will also bring additional revenue to the civic body. The corporation is planning to establish the plant in either Public-Private Partnership model or Viability Gap Funding  scheme. “For a city to progress, it requires modern slaughter houses as well as rendering plants. Otherwise the city would run the risk of becoming filled with   rotting carcasses which causes grave threat to the lives of people,” said corporation health officer Dr R. S. Gopakumar.

“We cannot put all the blame on the meat stall owners in this case. There are over 300 beef, mutton and chicken stalls functioning in the city and they together produce  tons of waste every day. We require solution  to effectively address this issue, and setting up rendering plant is the best way to deal with it,” he added. “It would definitely help us to deal with the present crisis regarding disposal and we will extend all support to authorities for any steps taking in this regard,” added Kozhikode District Meat Dealers Association secretary T. P. Sahid.

Notices to meat stalls following violations

From Wednesday, the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation Health wing will start issuing notices to all meat stalls in the City limits to rectify their mistakes in 15-days time. Recently, a joint team of Revenue and Corporation had conducted inspections of stalls under the direction of District Collector U V Jose and found serious violation of the rules in disposing waste and following unhygienic practices. The team also seized stale meat from a beef stall and it has been sent to Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University for further testing.

Additional Tehsildar (Land Reforms) Anitha Kumari conducts inspection in a meat stall in the city.

According to the estimate of the Health wing, the City is producing five-10 tonnes of beef and mutton waste and 10-20 tonnes of chicken waste a day. The quantity goes up during festivals. Over 160 stalls were functioning in the City while only 66 have licences. Approximately 350 to 500 cattle and 200-250 goats are being slaughtered for meat in the City every day. A survey conducted by the Animal Husbandry department in 2013, identified 1130 slaughter houses in Kozhikode district of which 314 have no valid licences and another 604 have only registration at respective local administrative bodies. The inspection in meats stall conducted in June first week by the team led by Additional Tehsildar (Land Reforms) Anitha Kumari also found that a majority of meat stalls were dumping waste into the Cannolly Canal posing health threats.