Supply dries up at Kolkata’s only abattoir

KOLKATA: The city’s only abattoir in Tangra has stopped receiving fresh supply of cattle since Thursday. Officials said more than 180 heads of cattle were at the facility, but only 22 of these would be allowed for slaughter as the “remaining animals did not meet govt guidelines”.

The newly elected state govt on Wednesday had issued a notice citing provisions of the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950, along with a 2018 Calcutta High Court order, reiterating that cattle could not be slaughtered in the state without valid certification confirming that the animal was fit for slaughter.

Officials overseeing operations at the abattoir said traders had been informed that cattle not meeting the required conditions should be taken back. “Some slaughters would take place following all the guidelines. Fresh supply has been halted for now,” said an official. He stated the disruption was due to pending permit renewals and stricter scrutiny.

Officials of the KMC hea-lth department, under which the abattoir operates, also said fresh cattle are not being allowed into the abattoir until its required permissions were renewed. While permits are usually renewed in March, this year the renewal of permissions was delayed with the Model Code of Conduct in force as Bengal went to polls.

“The permits will be renewed shortly. As of now, there is no fresh supply,” an official said, adding that the slaughterhouse has not been shut.

Wednesday’s govt notification stated that no person could slaughter cattle unless a certificate was obtained declaring the animal fit for slaughter. It also specified that certification for an animal to be slaughtered could only be issued by the chairman of a municipality or the sabhapati of a panchayat samiti along with a govt veterinary surgeon. The order said the authorities must be satisfied that the animal was either over 14 years of age and unfit for work or breeding or had become incapacitated because of age, injury, deformity or incurable disease. “We are following govt notification. The health of the cattle meant for slaughter is being examined thoroughly,” an official said.

Before the restrictions came into effect, between 150 and 200 heads of cattle were slaughtered daily at the Tangra facility, with the number occasionally rising to around 250.Officials and traders said no cattle were slaughtered at the abattoir after Thursday. Tangra houses Kolkata’s only abattoir, where cattle brought from wholesale markets in neighbouring districts are processed before meat is supplied to retail shops in the city. Traders transport cattle from districts outside Kolkata to the abattoir, from where meat is distributed to local markets and retail outlets.