The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has suggested the setting up of an effluent treatment plant (ETP) at the slaughterhouse run by the Kochi Corporation at Kaloor.
In a report filed in the Kerala High Court, the PCB said no pollution control measures had been initiated at the slaughterhouse. Solid waste such as skin, dung, and internal parts of animals is disposed through external agencies, while blood and waste water are being discharged into the Perandoor canal without any treatment.
It also noted that blood and urine were diluted before being discharged into the canal, which is unscientific and causing nuisance to the public.
The PCB report suggested adoption of a slew of short- and long-term pollution control measures at the abattoir. Blood should be separated immediately after slaughter and should not be mixed with waste water. The slaughtered animals shall be dressed in the hanging position.
The board also recommended that the bio-gas plant, which had not been functional, be made operational at the earliest. In fact, only partially digested intestinal waste should be fed into the plant. The corporation should ensure the daily removal of dung, bones, hide, and other waste. The premises of the slaughterhouse should be disinfected daily using bleaching powder. The waste water generated after removal of coarse solid particles should be collected in the existing collection tank and treated at plants at Brahmapuram or Willingdon island.
The PCB said as a long-term measure, the corporation should revamp the slaughterhouse scientifically. The measures suggested included maintaining sufficient holding and lairage capacity, bio-gas plant of adequate capacity, and setting up of a rendering plant for treating blood and solid waste.
The report was filed on a petition relating to the cleaning up of the Perandoor canal.
Earlier, the court had expressed displeasure over the corporation’s failure to stop emptying of untreated waste from the slaughterhouse into the Perandoor canal.