By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 29: Four years have elapsed since Meghalaya’s first modern abattoir, built at a cost of Rs 21.67 crore at Mawlai Mawiong here, was made operational but the response from butchers has not been encouraging.
Currently, 10 butchers slaughter cattle at the abattoir which was sanctioned in 2010 by the National Agricultural Bank for Rural Development. A greater number of butchers slaughter pigs here.
According to official estimates, over 1,800 pigs and more than 400 cattle are slaughtered at the abattoir every month. But it has facilities to slaughter 240 cattle, 240 pigs and 160 goats a day.
Majority of the beef butchers in Mawlai area are reluctant to shift to the abattoir owing to its distance from the city and also since there is no bar from the Dorbar Shnong on cattle slaughter in the localities.
Another factor that keeps the butchers away from the abattoir is the lack of a stockyard for holding cattle and pigs, which is proving to be a major drawback.
Although a large majority of pig butchers in Shillong are using the abattoir, they feel that not all butchers can be accommodated there due to space constraints.
The government established this facility to provide the residents with quality and hygienic meat. The meat of animals slaughtered here pass through stringent quality checks by veterinarians.
The government, which signed a 10-year lease agreement with the Khasi Jaintia Butchers’ Welfare Association (KJBWA) to run the abattoir, has failed to convince all butchers to utilise the facility. Many of them still slaughter animals outside the abattoir.
Initially, the Khasi Jaintia Pork Butchers’ Association was undecided on utilising the facility. Most butchers selling pork in Shillong slaughtered pigs at Lad Jaiaw Langsning.
With time, most of them shifted to the abattoir after realising the benefit. Another reason why they shifted base was that 10 Dorbar Shnongs of the area were opposed to the slaughter of pigs at Lad Jaiaw Langsning.
The facility meant for the slaughter of goats at the abattoir has remained unused as no one came forward.
While speaking to The Shillong Times, KJBWA president Generous Warlarpih admitted that many butchers are not utilising the slaughterhouse.
Warlarpih, also the president of the managing committee that runs the abattoir, said it is the responsibility of the state government to impress upon the butchers operating in Shillong and its adjoining areas to utilise this facility.
“We have had several meetings but there is no concrete effort from the government to make it mandatory for all the butchers to utilise the facility,” the KJBWA president said.
Talking about the benefits, he said the veterinarians posted at the abattoir would first conduct anti-mortem of cattle and pigs before they are slaughtered, followed by post-mortem. This is done to ensure that the meat is hygienic and safe for consumption.
Warlarpih said there is a quarantine period for the animals brought from outside the state.
He said there is no guarantee that the consumption of the meat of cattle and pigs slaughtered outside is safe, citing that there is no proper health checkup of the animals.
“Access to quality and hygienic meat is possible only at the abattoir. I don’t subscribe to the idea that health checkups should be done on the roadside when the animals enter the state. Both anti-mortem and post-mortem examinations are required to ensure that meat that goes to the market is safe for consumption,” Warlarpih said.
He stressed that there should be mini-slaughterhouses in rural areas so people have access to quality and hygienic meat.
KJPBA general secretary Andy Lyngdoh also maintained that the government should encourage all butchers, especially those selling meat in Shillong, to use the abattoir.
He said initially they were undecided due to their lack of understanding about how an abattoir functions, “but slowly and gradually, we acknowledge that it is important to use the facility to provide citizens with quality and hygienic meat.”
Lyngdoh said a majority of the pig butchers of Shillong came forward to utilise the facility due to the efforts of the organisation.
Meanwhile, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Alexander Laloo Hek said the department is providing with all logistics to the KJBWA so it can run the abattoir smoothly.
He said efforts will be made to convince the other butchers to utilise the facility.