Bengaluru: In order to deal with the vexing problem of animal waste, the BBMP has decided to set up three animal waste rendering plants on the city outskirts, to dispose nearly 44 tonnes of meat and offal waste that is generated daily in all its eight zonal limits.
Various parts of the city have turned into black spots with animal waste dumped illegally by residents, restaurant owners and meat vendors. It is often dumped on the road side, storm water drains, empty plots and they are often set on fire thus polluting the environment.
BBMP Joint Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences Dr Shashikumar told this paper that the city civic body has planned to set up at all three plants at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore. Each unit will be set up at Rs 5 crore and set aside the funds under ‘Nagaratthana’ scheme.
Following the directions of National Green Tribunal and State Government, the BBMP has also set aside the funds to establish the same. The Palike has given instruction to all its eight zonal heads to identify the land on the city outskirts.
“Several reputed agencies have also come forward with their proposal to set up their 100 per cent pollution free units under build, operate and transfer model. Two zonal heads have also identified the land, the others are still searching, once the land details are finalised, the city civic body will float a tender for meat and other animal waste transportation after discussing the same at Health Standing Committee,” he said.
The city civic body has been coming under fire from public over poor disposal of animal waste, which includes road kills, offals, skin feathers bones and leftover animal meat from butcher shops disposed without systemic plan. BBMP also finds it difficult to clear animal waste as pourakarmikas are not authorized to dispose of the dead animals like cats, dogs forcing residents to dump them.
It also struggling to handle with a lone crematorium for dead animals it had at Sumanahalli on Magadi Road, which has the capacity to cremate only 60 animals, that too only for smaller animals such as dogs, cats and other pets. There is no provision to cremate horses and cows.
Once the projects start functioning the issue of illegal disposal of slaughter waste will be addressed to a large extent, he said.
Shashikumar said the project envisages processing the remains of dead animals into value added products such as pet food and manure after treating them at extremely high temperatures. The products manufactured in these plants will be sold in the domestic market. The plant will also recycle waste from slaughter houses within BBMP limits.
Each plants will have the capacity to treat 100 tonnes of waste and caracasses per day. The fat will be removed and sold, while the rest of the meat will be churned and boiled to form fish feed and it will be sold in the market, which will also help Palike earn additional revenue.Other byproducts from the rendering plant like animal fat, grease meat and bone meals (MBM) will be marketed by a private agency.
The byproducts can also be used in soap and candle industries, steel firms and MBM is a nutritious animal feed, he pointed out.
