The Thiruvananthapuram city corporation has begun a multi-day test of the effluent treatment plant (ETP) at the modern Kunnukuzhy slaughterhouse, with officials expected to decide next week whether the system is ready to support regular operations. The inspection is intended to resolve a dispute that has delayed the facility’s full opening despite it receiving clearance from the state pollution control board earlier this year.
The corporation’s engineering wing began inspecting the plant on Saturday. The test is expected to continue for another three to four days, during which officials will examine the treatment system’s different stages and assess whether it can process the waste generated by slaughterhouse operations.
As part of the exercise, the civic body plans to bring approximately one lakh litres of water to the facility and run it through the ETP. The test is designed to assess the plant’s performance under a controlled volume before the corporation determines whether it can function as required during regular slaughterhouse activity.
The inspection follows a prolonged disagreement between MR Farms, the agency responsible for the facility’s operation and maintenance, and Kerala Electrical and Allied Engineering Company (KEL), which implemented the project. The performance of the ETP has emerged as the main obstacle in making the modern slaughterhouse fully operational.
“The testing has started well without any problems, but it will take a few more days to complete. There are several processes and procedures involved, so it cannot be completed in a single day. Hopefully, the ETP will be fully functional,” said Dr Sreerag Jayan, chief veterinary surgeon of the city corporation.
The corporation is expected to assess the inspection findings and decide on the next course of action by the middle of next week. If the test identifies technical shortcomings, the authorities will have to determine what corrective measures are needed before regular operations can begin.
The modern slaughterhouse was built at an estimated cost of around Rs 15 crore to replace unhygienic slaughtering practices and introduce scientific waste management at the facility. Its reopening has nevertheless been delayed by technical and operational problems, with the ETP now determining whether the project can move from construction and testing to routine civic use.
The outcome of the inspection will therefore decide whether the corporation can proceed towards operationalising the slaughterhouse or whether further repairs and technical intervention will be required. The civic body’s decision is expected next week after the testing process is completed.
