The National Green Tribunal has directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to “further examine” alleged environmental violations by Ghazipur slaughterhouse and file a report to it within eight weeks.
It also directed a joint committee of DPCC and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to conduct another inspection of the slaughterhouse after four weeks.
The NGT was hearing a matter alleging violation of rules by the abattoir operated by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
Following the allegations, including those related to illegal extraction of groundwater without permission from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), and failure to scientifically handle the waste water, the NGT had in March this year formed a joint committee of the DPCC and CPCB and directed it to verify the factual position and submit a report.
Four months later, the green panel, after considering the report, noted some deficiencies and directed the authorities concerned to “take further necessary action”.
In an order passed on Saturday, the tribunal said the DPCC had submitted another report underscoring the deficiencies, which included non-installation of a biomethanation plant to treat wastes such as rumen, stomach and intestine contents and dung.
The deficiencies also included the discharge of effluents from the slaughterhouse not meeting the prescribed standards, the tribunal noted.
It also noted that the DPCC’s report said, “During the joint inspection, untreated effluent was found to be bypassed from the slaughtering area and rendering plant into an open drain leading to River Yamuna.”
A bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel said along with the untreated effluent being “ultimately discharged” in river Yamuna, the water quality and microbiology analysis report indicated the presence of total coliform, faecal coliform and E Coli in the outlets of nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtration units.
“Hence, we direct the DPCC to further examine the matter and file a fresh report within eight weeks,” the bench said.
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It also directed the joint committee to conduct an inspection after four weeks to ascertain whether the butchery was complying with environmental norms.
The matter has been posted for further proceedings on January 15.
Ghazipur slaughterhouse in east Delhi caters to the meat requirements of a large part of the city. The mechanised abattoir became operational in 2009 where 1,500 buffaloes and around 13,500 sheep and goats can be slaughtered daily.
The slaughterhouse was closed on May 30 last year on the directions of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) following an order by the NGT. After being shut for over a month, the slaughterhouse was reopened following compliance of the tribunal’s directions.
