The slaughterhouse constructed by Cuttack Municipal Corporation at Satichaura. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, April 24: A PIL has been filed before Orissa High Court for stopping the opening of a slaughterhouse at Satuchura.

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has come up with the slaughterhouse at Satichaura as part of the implementation of the high court order for construction of a slaughterhouse for big animals and four smaller ones in different parts of the city.

Accordingly, the CMC had so far made operational two small slaughterhouses at Gandhipalli and Khannagar. While the construction of another had been completed at Satichaura, the civic body had not been able to go ahead with the construction work for the remaining two because of dispute over the selection of site.

Jayanti Das (46), a resident of Mahamadia Bazar area, has filed the PIL raising objections on grounds of the location of temples nearby and its proximity to a cremation ground. The petition has expressed apprehension that it would harm the religious sanctity of the area.

Raising concerns over potential water and air pollution, the petition pointed out that it was on a morning-walkers’ route along the Ring Road. The high court has not yet taken up the PIL for hearing.

Earlier, CMC was faced with objection over the selection of Matahmatha area for a smaller slaughterhouse. The tourism department had raised an objection as it was close to a recreation boating project. Consequently, no construction work could be taken up there.

Similarly, the CMC had to abandon the proposal of an abattoir or slaughterhouse for big animals at the one-acre land allocated for the purpose by the district administration at Matagajpur owing to opposition from local residents. They had opposed it on grounds of its proximity to a residential area and several temples. They argued that it would harm the religious sanctity and economic sustainability of the local community.

The high court has been monitoring the construction of the slaughterhouses while adjudicating on a PIL that it had registered earlier on roadside slaughtering of goats and sheep by butchers in the absence of slaughterhouses.

The CMC has identified land afresh for construction of the abattoir or slaughterhouse for big animals. The land for a slaughterhouse-cum-sale centre for big animals has been identified at the side of Mahanadi River at Brajabiharipur on the fringe of the western limits of the city.

“The land measuring 1 acre and 50 decimals has been identified under Athagarh Tehsil in CMC area where no habitation exists”, the civic body had stated in an affidavit filed in the high court.

“As for the proposal for a slaughterhouse at Matamatha is concerned, it is abandoned and it has been proposed to be constructed at Jobra. For this purpose the land has been identified and permissive possession has already been sought for from the tahsildar (Sadar Cuttack),” the affidavit said.