Corporators demand upgrade of Deonar abattoir ahead of Eid

Expecting the number of goats to be slaughtered during Eid-al-Adha or Bakra-Eid to magnify this year – with a ban on slaughter of bulls – the Samajwadi Party leader Rais Shaikh demanded an upgrade of the Deonar abattoir.

Voicing concerns during a proposal pitched in the standing committee, on Wednesday, to construct temporary shed in the slaughterhouse, Shaikh claimed that that the abattoir is not equipped to handle the flow of sacrificial animals.

"On an average, during Eid, over three to 3.5 lakh goats, which is twice the number as compared to last year, are expected to be sacrificed. The abattoir is in dismal state and needs an upgrade immediately," said Shaikh, while adding that the civic administration has time and again delayed the work of installing temporary sheds, which houses lakhs of sheep and goats ahead of Muslim festivity.

His demand was also seconded by Congress corporators Waqarunnisa Ansari, who requested the civic body to expedite the provision of shelters and slaughter spots or sheds at the abattoir, with sufficient light and water available.

Meanwhile, members of the standing committee have agreed to visit the slaughterhouse in Deonar. The demand of the much-needed visit was pressed by Ansari, who said that, unless the tumbledown state of the abattoir is witnessed the administration will not swing into action.

The BMC plans to modernise the abattoir to international standards soon. From state of art technology of meat processing to aggrandising of space and animal holding cells - an exhaustive plan of the abattoir is been readied by the civic body.

According to a senior civic officer, a second-round meeting to plan the various aspects of the slaughterhouse was staged recently, amidst presence of experts of meat manufacturers-processors from Germany.

The abattoir, which is currently operating on half of the city's meat requirement, is reeling under an array of issues. From sinking land levels, to poor meat chilling facility and unscientific disposal of animal waste has marred the age-old operations and slaughtering-preserving modes at the abattoir.

As per numbers - the meat house currently in a single shift processes 3, 000 goats-sheep, 250 buffaloes and 250 pigs. However, with Mumbai requiring meat of around 6, 000 goats-sheeps, 300 buffaloes and 300 pigs everyday - the civic body had been long-pressed to gyrate the existing facility.