District In-charge Minister U T Khader has challenged BJP leaders to write to the Central government’s Urban Development Ministry to drop the project to upgrade the slaughter house in the city from the Smart City programme.
He was addressing reporters at the Circuit House in the city on Monday.
Khader clarified that he had contributed his suggestions for the upgrade of the only government-run slaughter house situated in Kudroli from the point of maintaining cleanliness and to prevention of environment pollution.
“During the Smart City state advisory committee meeting, I had recommended for a modern slaughter house in order to manage solid waste at source. The proposal, including the recommendation for a modern slaughter house was sent to the Ministry of Urban Development of the Central government for approval. There were proposals for upgrade of the District Wenlock Hospital, Mangala Stadium, City Market, Pumpwell bus terminal and a football ground also,” reminisced Khader.
Speaking further, the mini said, “None of the BJP leaders in the committee had opposed the idea when it was put forth. Now, however, when the proposal has already been forwarded to the Central government, they have started issuing statements.”
He also said that politicised remarks on the Smart City programme could not be justified.
Explaining the idea of the proposed state-of-the-art slaughter house, the district in-charge minister said that, currently, unprocessed meat is purchased by retail vendors from the slaughter house processed during sale. “In most cases, the waste produced at the meat shops and poultry is disposed of unscientifically by dumping in water bodies. To prevent this, it was proposed as a part of the Smart City project, to have a system to process meat at the slaughter house itself,” he added.
Accusing the MP and MLAs of blowing the issue out of proportion, Khader questioned their silence as a BJP leader himself used to run a slaughter house.
Replying to another allegation by BJP leaders on not reserving funds for cow sheds under the Smart City project, Khader said that there was no such provision in the project.
He also said that he was not in support of illegal transport and slaughter of cows. The department concerned would initiate the necessary action to curb the illegal transport of cattle. He said he had spoken to the district superintendent of police on the issue.
Mayor Bhaskar K, Deputy Mayor Muhammed K, Council whip Shashidhar Hegde and ZP member Mamatha Gatty were present in the press meet.
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