Controversy surrounds re-opening of slaughter house at Valpoi

from NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-06-26
VALPOI: Chairperson of Valpoi Municipal Council, Ms Gulzar Bi Khan is presently surrounded with the controversial issue of the slaughter house at Valpoi. Recently, a local-based NGO presented a memorandum demanding ban on re-opening of the slaughter house situated in ward no 3 under Valpoi municipal jurisdiction.Subsequently, there is heavy pressure on Valpoi municipal council to re-open the slaughter house, which has been changed to meat selling outlet, from other minority communities at Valpoi. ‘The Navhind Times’ recently interviewed the Valpoi Municipal chairperson, Ms Gulzar Bi Khan. Where in she stated that the issue is being given a political flavour. She even said that the site has been used for last many decades. “A similar type of meat-selling outlet exists in Mauxi Panchayat where in no NGO or political leaders intervened in it,” he added.
Ms Khan further said, “Although, the building was under renovation for last one year, there was a heavy demand from residents of Valpoi to re-open it to prevent consumption of any unhygienic meat. Subsequently, she informed that the nomenclature has been converted from slaughter house to model meat selling outlet, where meat will be brought from Goa meat complex and sold in Valpoi.
Recalling the past incident of brutally killing of cows and bulls, Ms Khan assured that she will give directives to the concern authorities to take a stern action if such incidents occur under the shade of meat selling outlet. Considering the local religious sentiment, she guaranteed that no miscreant activities will be undertaken in the name of meat selling outlet. However, she strongly said that there is no better site than the present one and the council has already passed the site in standing committee meeting and with no span of time it will be opened for consumers.
On the other side, locals fear that due to delay in opening of meat selling outlet they may be consuming unhygienic meat and meat product that may be sold to them by illegal slaughter houses which exist in nearby areas in absence of an official one.