Trial run of modern abattoir to begin on environment day in Thiruvananthapuram

A step towards addressing the issues of illegal slaughtering and dumping of meat waste in the capital city will be made on this World Environment Day, on Thursday, as the Thiruvananthapuram city Corporation begins the trial run of the modern abattoir at Kunnukuzhy. The major infrastructural work of the slaughterhouse has now been completed with only some painting works and landscaping remaining.

Meanwhile, the civic body on Friday floated a tender calling for contract bids from professional firms for operation and maintenance and overall management of the modern abattoir. The selected agency will be required to utilise the mechanised system of slaughtering and handling of meat carcasses to make available hygienically slaughtered wholesome meat to the local population as per the slaughter charges to be fixed by the bidder in the bid.

The plant, built at a cost of ₹15 crore, has a capacity to handle 75 larger animals and 50 small animals per day. It will also have a capacity to hold 75 livestock. The solid waste will be treated at site using a biogas plant. The rendering plant will be used to process the non edible soft tissues and bones. The byproduct from the effluent treatment plant will be supplied to industries involved in the manufacture of animal food. Remaining fine solids and wash water from the slaughterhouse will go to an effluent treatment plant.

Trial run

The trial run will be done using materials of weight equivalent to live animals to check the proper functioning of the different units of the abattoir. After the trial run, the plant is expected to be fully functional by the end of the month.

The Corporation will stop all illegal slaughter in its limit from the date of starting of the modern slaughterhouse. No meat without a seal of the corporation will be allowed to be sold in the meat stalls within the city. The civic body will register all the meat stall owners/butchers in the corporation and will provide approval for bringing animals to the slaughterhouse for custom slaughter.

The Kerala Electrical and Allied Engineering Company Limited (KEL) is the implementing agency for the project. The project to set up a modern slaughterhouse at Kunnukuzhy has now become a long-running story stretching for eleven years, during which many proposals were dropped even before implementation began. The Kunnukuzhy slaughterhouse was closed in February 2013, as it failed to manage the waste generated in a scientific way in the absence of a centralised waste treatment plant. The Pollution Control Board ordered its closure for non-compliance in setting up plants to treat slaughter waste.

Published - June 02, 2025 08:23 pm IST