SHILLONG: Meghalaya state government would enter into an agreement with the Butchers Association to operationalise much delayed abattoir on the outskirts of the town.
Dr. B Rijal, Director, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary informed that the draft agreement had been sent to the Government recently for its approval.
As per the draft agreement, the abattoir will be handed over to the Butchers Association on lease for a period of ten years.
However, the property would continue to belong to the State Government.
According to Rijal, the Butchers Association would have to deposit a security of Rs 30 lakh with the State Government while the State Government would also get a benefit of 20 percent of the total profits from the abattoir.
It may be mentioned that the trial run of the project is already on and if everything goes well, the abattoir might be handed over to the Butchers Association as soon as January next year.
Earlier, the department was contemplating to privatise the project but later decided not to go ahead with the privatization of the project.
The abattoir, which was built at a cost of Rs 22 crore by Rapsang Group of Companies, Shillong, in collaboration with Real Growth Company, Chennai. The plan is to slaughter 240 cows, 160 each pigs and goats daily.
The abattoir will end open slaughter of animals and ensure safe and hygienic meat. There will be effluent treatment plants for pollution control. The government is planning similar abattoirs in Tura and Jowai.