Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jun 13: The proposal to develop the slaughterhouse at a cost of Rs 15 crore at Kudroli here under Smart City Project has been dropped.

The then Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister in the previous coalition, U T Khader, had solidly backed the proposal to build a slaughterhouse. His recommendation had courted controversy immediately. The BJP leaders, who had vehemently opposed the proposed, had demanded for the shifting of the slaughterhouse to the city outskirts. But Mangaluru Smart City Board had included the slaughterhouse proposal in its agenda in a hurry and prepared a detailed project report. But the board, where the BJP has predominance now, has taken a decision to jettison the proposal.

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Hindu organizations had held a protest meeting against the then minister U T Khader, for planning to spend Rs 15 crore towards slaughterhouse at Kudroli out of the Smart City fund. Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal leaders had declared that they will not allow at any cost, to release a grant of Rs 15 crore for the development of the slaughterhouse that is located on a 40 cent land.

The resolution to release Rs 15 crore for the slaughterhouse had been approved at the Smart City board meeting held in October, 2018. Out of the directors of the board, BJP representative, Premananda Shetty, was the only one who opposed the proposal while Congress leaders supported the plan. The proposal is now before the union government's urban development ministry.

In the past, U T Khader had challenged the MP to block the proposed project if he had the capacity to do so.

Mangalore (south) MLA D Vedavyas Kamath, said that the previous government had planned to develop the slaughterhouse at Kudroli at a cost of Rs 15 crore. He clarified that the project has now been removed from the ambit of Smart City Project as there is a proposal to shift it to the outskirts of the city.