BBMP fail to process animal waste in the city

City

The ambiguity between the departments about responsibility is at the heart of the issue.

Bangalore, April 13, 2018: The animal waste produced at BBMP approved slaughter house at Tannery Road is dumped in the city instead of getting treated in animal waste processing plant.

In December last year, BBMP announced the plans to inaugurate four animal waste processing plants to convert the waste from the slaughter houses and hotels across the city into high protein powder which can then be   used as canine and aqua feed.

BBMP approved three slaughter houses including at Tannery road, Pottery town and Usman Khan Road can slaughter animals and rest of the 2000 shops within  the BBMP limits meat shops can only sell meat.

However, it was only the last week that one animal waste processing plant was started off in BTM Layout.  Ms. Hemlatha from the SWM department of BBMP said, “Animal Husbandry Department is responsible to process the waste from the slaughter houses.”

N.S. Ramakanth, SWM expert said, “We have suggested many methods to the BBMP including rendering technique wherein the animal residual is broken down and converted into something useful. But BBMP is not responsive enough.”

Dr. G. Anand, Joint Commissioner, Animal Husbandry department, BBMP said, “The Solid Waste Management (SWM) is responsible for the animal waste processing.”

Shop owner of Bismillah hotel at Tannery road said, “We dump the waste from our hotel in the corporation vehicle that comes every morning.”

The report from animal husbandry department in 2010 stated that 30 per cent of the Karnataka’s meat is consumed in Bangalore. But there is no procedure to treat the waste in the city causing health problems for people living in the vicinity. Raju who lives next to the lane of BBMP slaughter house explained, “The slaughter house is there from a long time now. Sometimes the slaughter houses use powder to reduce the smell which cause face respiratory problems for the people living here.”

The problem lies in the management by BBMP as they keep tossing the responsibilities amongst departments.