MP govt not serious about shifting abattoir, says NGT

BHOPAL: Finding that the land, where the abattoir has to be set up, is still not allotted to the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), the members of the central bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) vented their ire on the state government, saying that it is not taking the issue seriously.
According to the order, issued after January 19 hearing, the green bench has taken serious note of the status of abattoir shifting and warned the state government about the deadline which is just two months away.
“It appears that the state government has not taken shifting of slaughter house issue seriously. Even after several hearings in this tribunal, there is hardly any progress in the matter till date,” reads the order, a copy of which is with TOI. It states that an affidavit regarding the status which was filed on January 19 by the assistant engineer of BMC in compliance of the order of NGT reveals hardly any progress, adding that a copy of the affidavit along with the annexure should be provided to other parties.
“BMC is still at the stage where land for the abattoir is yet to be allotted to the BMC for the purpose of setting up of abattoir. It would be worthwhile to remind that new abattoir is to be set up before March 31, 2018 and the failure to do so will attract penalty of Rs 10,000 per day after the deadline is over,” it added.

The bench also summoned officials of the Directorate of Urban Administration & Development (UADD) to submit their response.
“We would like the response of the UADD on this matter on next date of hearing. The principal secretary of UADD and the commissioner of BMC must appear before the tribunal personally,” the NGT maintained. Last week, the civic body submitted an affidavit claiming that the private contractor was not willing to set up the slaughter house on the land provided by the corporation. The civic body also asked the contractor to opt for some other technology, which would require less land use.
According to the affidavit, a copy of which was also handed over to the private party, BMC also said that if state government agrees, BMC can provide 12 acres of land, instead of 4, to private contractor as per Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for construction of state-of-art abattoir. The impasse continues keeping the much-awaited project in limbo since April 2016 as both the BMC and the contractor are at loggerheads over the prickly issue of land.
The BMC had earlier hinted at withdrawing the contract if the HMA, the Agra-based contractor refuses to budge from his stand. The contractor has demanded 34 acres of land against 4 acres offered by the municipal body. By now, the contractor should have started the construction at the new site. The matter has now been listed for hearing on February 6.