T’puram: Future of the city corporation’s long-awaited modern slaughterhouse at Kunnukuzhy has once again been thrown into uncertainty, with full-fledged commercial operations remaining on hold after trial runs exposed deficiencies in two critical components — the effluent treatment plant (ETP) and the biogas plant. The BJP-led corporation is likely to review the project soon.The civic body has been conducting limited trial operations at the facility using only three animals a day. However, officials said the trial runs revealed that the ETP and biogas plant have not been fully completed or are yet to function as intended, preventing the corporation from commissioning the Rs 15-crore project for commercial use.The state-of-the-art slaughterhouse, built by Kerala Electrical and Allied Engineering Company Ltd (KEL), was inaugurated last Nov during the previous LDF council’s tenure after years of delays. Since then, the project has remained in the trial phase despite being equipped with modern infrastructure such as mechanized slaughtering systems, chilling rooms, odour-control facilities and scientific waste-management units.According to corporation sources, officials have informed KEL about the shortcomings and sought corrective measures. However, the contractor is yet to respond satisfactorily, delaying rectification work and leaving the project’s future uncertain.Mayor V V Rajesh blamed the previous council for what he described as a poorly executed project.“Almost every major project inherited from the previous administration has serious issues, and the slaughterhouse is one of them. When we assumed office, even the power connection had not been provided to the facility. We ensured the electricity connection was established and initiated trial operations. It was only during these trials that we realized the ETP and biogas plant were not functioning properly. We are now examining the available options and have not yet taken a final decision on the way forward,” the mayor told TOI.Corporation’s chief veterinary surgeon, Dr Sreerag Jayan, said the corporation will continue trial operations to assess the performance of various systems before deciding on commercial commissioning.“The trial run is progressing on a limited scale. The purpose is to evaluate the functioning of all the systems, especially the environmental management components,” he said.The project has experienced repeated delays over the past several years due to tender-related issues, power connectivity, statutory approvals and operational hurdles. The state pollution control board had earlier granted consent to operate the facility after prescribing stringent environmental safeguards, paving the way for trial operations.The modern abattoir was conceived to replace the city’s outdated slaughtering system and curb illegal slaughtering by providing a centralized, hygienic and environmentally compliant facility. Designed to process up to 75 large animals and 50 small animals a day, it includes a 50-kilolitre-per-day ETP, a biogas unit for processing organic waste, rendering facilities and refrigeration systems.The reopening of the slaughterhouse comes nearly a decade after the old corporation-owned facility was shut down following allegations of pollution and poor sanitation.
