CPCB directs KSPCB to shut Tannery Road slaughterhouse

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to take steps to immediately shut down the BBMP managed civil slaughterhouse at Tannery Road alleging it has failed to improve the functioning of the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP).

The CPCB also directed the KSPCB to disconnect electricity and water supplies to the slaughter house. In future, the slaughterhouse should not run without the consent from the KSPCB, the direction said.

The CPCB in its latest affidavit before the Southern Bench of the NGT also said that the BBMP failed to improve the functioning of the ETP resulting in polluted discharge from the slaughterhouse still entering Ulsoor Lake.

The Southern Bench of the NGT was hearing a case on water contamination in the Ulsoor Lake due to indiscriminate discharge of sewage.

The BBMP has not applied for renewal of consent for operation of the slaughterhouse and 50 KLD ETP though it has been operating it since June 30, 2009 without valid consent from the KSPCB, the affidavit said.

The CPCB also informed the NGT that ETP was also not operated regularly as its aerators and pumps were rusted. Despite the repeated warning there was no improvement in the status of the operation of ETP, it said.

Recently the NGT-appointed experts panel recommended the imposition of Rs 17.83 crore environment compensation against BBMP for operating the slaughter house at Tannery Road, Bengaluru and operating ETP without valid consent and non-compliance of the discharge standards.

However, the BBMP in a recent affidavit to the NGT requested not to shutdown the slaughterhouse saying that it was the only one unit working for large animals in Bengaluru and has to run in view of absolute necessity.

“In the event of the unit not being run, there could be several illegal slaughterhouses, leading to animal waste being discharged to storm water drains and lakes, eventually causing groundwater pollution,” the BBMP had said earlier.

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