Modern slaughterhouse coming up in Tuticorin

The Tuticorin city is set to have its first modern slaughterhouse soon. The facility being built by the municipal administration here on an outlay of Rs. 20 lakh is expected to be commissioned during the third quarter of this fiscal.

The Municipal Commissioner, R. Lakshmi, said that the modern abattoir was planned to supply meat of goats and sheep produced as per the food production standards prescribed by the Government to customers.

“Modernisation of meat establishments has become mandatory to prevent hazards to health of humans. It will help to slaughter the animals in a humane manner and handle the meat hygienically,” she added.

The slaughterhouse will have an entrance and an exit to facilitate the entry of animals at one end and the removal of dressed carcasses and offal through the other end.

The other features of the edifice include a ‘holding pen’ to keep awaiting animals, non-slippery floor, hide store to preserve the skin of animals till they were despatched to tanneries, offal room, storeroom, slaughter hall, hanging hall and delivery hall.

A floor space of at least three square feet will be provided to each of the animals brought to the slaughterhouse.

Ms. Lakshmi said that a ‘condemned meat room’ would be set up inside the building to keep the organ, meat or whole carcass, which were found to be unfit for human consumption during the inspection of dead animals conducted immediately after the slaughtering.

According to her, special care would be taken to ensure that no animal which was pregnant or having an offspring of less than three months old would be slaughtered. The goats and sheep below three months of age too would be spared from slaughtering.

Steps would be made in such a manner to ensure that no animal would be slaughtered in sight of another animal.