The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BBMP works out meaty deal for abattoir

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BBMP works out meaty deal for abattoir

B.S. Ramesh

The state-of-the-art slaughterhouse is coming up at Iglur on Anekal-Chandapura Road

The corporation has accepted the Rs. 14.25 crore from Chennai Abattoir and SAAGAR
It has decided to go in for build, operate and transfer framework

BANGALORE: The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has not only accepted the negotiated offer of Rs. 14.25 crore from Chennai Abattoir and SAAGAR for the construction of a modern and sophisticated abattoir in Bangalore but also decided to go in for build, operate and transfer (BOT) framework.

According to a communication from BBMP Commissioner K. Jairaj to the Department of Urban Development, the palike administrator had accepted the negotiated offer for the state-of-art slaughterhouse coming up at Iglur on the Anekal-Chandapura Road.

The BBMP, in its communication, states that it has gone in for the BOT proposal as it feels it is more advantageous. It wanted the running of the facilities to be clubbed with the construction of the abattoir. Hence, the decision to opt for BOT.

The BBMP says that most of the problems of the plant would become apparent only after one to two years after its completion. Under BOT, the developer thus is not only responsible for the construction but also its operation and maintenance.

It says had it gone on its own to construct the abattoir, it would have needed at least Rs. 40 crore. In contrast, under the BOT framework, its capital investment would be brought in by the entrepreneur, and the palike would need to pump in pay Rs. 5 crore at the end of the construction and a similar amount on completion of one year operation. The BBMP has written to the principal Secretary, Department of Urban Development, that it intends to go in for imported slaughter line for cattle as the indigenous plant and machinery for slaughtering sheep, goat and pigs have been operational only for about five years and that do not have a proven track record.

It also claims that the slaughterhouse of the Karnataka Meat and Poultry Corporation and BBMP itself does not have the similar equipment as a private entrepreneur for operating semi-automatic plant which requires skilled manpower.

It claims that the project is likely to be completed in one year as against the earlier deadline of two years.

The BBMP sources said that they had communicated all aspects of the abattoir to the Department of Urban Development and consequently to the Government as a project of this kind needed infusion of such funds and it would have to be approved by the Government.

They expect the project to take off expeditiously once the Government gives the green signal. This is unlikely to take too much time as early shifting of the abattoir from Tannery Road to Iglur is the subject matter of several writ petitions before the Karnataka High Court.

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