No takers for abattoir recycling plant in 3 yrs

The first operator of the plant — M/s Aztec Exim Pvt Ltd — ran it for just three months and then simply quit. The last firm to whom the civic body decided to hand over the plant in October 2009 — M/s Frigorifico Allana Ltd — never took up the challenge and refused to run the unit even on a trial basis.

Rendering plants perform one of the most complementing functions for modern abattoirs. They recycle dead animals,slaughterhouse waste,and supermarket rejects into various products known as recycled meat,bone meal,and animal fat. Lack of an operational plant near a functional abattoir may pose a grave health hazard in the form of diseased and rotting carcasses.

The MCD’s inability to find an operator for the past three years succeeded in annoying the Delhi High Court recently,especially after the slaughterhouse,spread across 80 acres of land,became functional this month,with meat traders finally setting up shop there after prolonged protests.

“We are not happy with the manner in which the tendering process has been on for over three years without any tender being awarded,” a Division Bench led by Justice Badar Durrez Ahamed observed in the order passed verbally in open court on November 18. The court order — made available on Thursday — has hit out at the civic body: “We are told the said rendering plant was established at the cost of about Rs 25 crore and has been lying unutilised all this while. It is a clear case of waste of public money.”

The court was hearing a challenge from Rear Private Ltd,one of the bidders,which wants the MCD to go for an open bidding process again.

The judges said they have been compelled to note the dismal attitude shown by the civic body in completing the tender process,which “has been going on since April 2006”.

The judicial order recounts how after M/s Frigorifico Allana Ltd opted out in 2006,the plant had continued to remain shut. “The next tender was invited sometime in September 2008 and thereafter repeated tenders have been invited without any success,” the Bench noted.

The Bench directed the MCD to take a “final decision” and complete all official formalities “so that the plant,which has been set up at the expense of public money,is utilised for the purpose for which it was set up”.

In response,the MCD submitted that the bids opened on October 26 this year under the “open bid process” for leasing out of the carcass utilisation-cum-rendering plant at the Ghazipur abattoir “is yet to be finalised”. The civic body,however,assured the court that “no further time will be lost” to find an operator.

From Idgah to Ghazipur
The Idgah abattoir was established around 125 years ago when the city’s population was restricted mainly to the Walled City area. With the increase in population and expansion of Delhi,the Idgah slaughterhouse was surrounded by thickly populated residential areas and schools.

On the Supreme Court’s orders on July 14,2004,the MCD constructed a modern abattoir at Ghazipur on open land with a convenient approach from NH-24.

The total area of Ghazipur abattoir is about 32 acres. The DDA allotted around 80 acres of land to MCD at Ghazipur. Facilities like the abattoir,livestock markets,rendering plant,hutments and roads etc,occupy approximately 30 acres of land,whereas the remaining land is covered by a landfill site.