Sale of poor quality of meat comes to light

Sale of poor quality meat stocked in unhygienic conditions at Hanumanthavaka came to light on Friday. While sheep were slaughtered at the GVMC slaughterhouse at Hanumanthavaka after certification, their heads and intestines were also sold at a rate cheaper than the meat. However, of late, the heads, intestines, and legs were being brought from Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, and Odisha and sold near Hanumanthavaka.

On a complaint, GVMC officials visited the surrounding areas of the slaughterhouse on Friday and found that 150 severed heads and intestines were stocked in an unhygienic condition. Barring sprinkling of some ice, no effort was made to store them in hygienic conditions, City Veterinary Officer and Assistant Medical Officer of Zone III B. Ramamohana Rao said.

The head was burnt and meat inside it extracted, and it costs about Rs.200 to Rs.300 as against a kg of meat selling at Rs.400. Similarly, intestines were sold at Rs.60 to Rs.80. People from poorer sections, who cannot afford to buy meat at a high rate, prefer to buy the cheaper variety. Chief Medical Officer (Health) P.V. Ramana Murthy and Dr. Ramamohana Rao found that the meat brought from Odisha was emanating foul smell. Gajuwaka AMO Dhavala Bhaskara Rao was present.

“Eating such meat could lead to diarrhoea, dysentery, and even epidemics,” said Dr. Ramamohana Rao.

The sale of such meat has been going on over two months now.

Dr. Ramana Murthy warned that stern action would be taken against those selling poor quality, inferior meat as it could lead to loss of lives. The seized meat was later buried at the Kapuluppada dump yard. A case was booked against three women under the Food Security Act and the case transferred to the police.