The Chennai Corporation has revoked its decision to move mutton traders from the business area close to the construction site of the modern abattoir in Perambur.
Speaking at a meeting of mutton traders here on Friday, in which members of other merchants' associations also participated, Mayor M. Subramanian said: “The decision to move the traders temporarily was taken following requests from some of the members of a traders' association. As a large number of the mutton traders in Perambur are not willing to move on account of a sense of insecurity, we have decided not to shift them to a new location.”
He asked the traders to cooperate with the civic body in issuing identity cards to all of them.
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Mr. Subramanian said about 80 per cent of the abattoir modernisation project had been completed so far. As part of efforts to finish the remaining work in two-and-a-half months, the traders were asked to shift their business for a short term. But the decision of the civic body to move the traders to slaughter houses in Villivakkam or Saidapet by January 17 had evoked protest from the meat merchants recently.
Welcoming the decision, Y. Basheer Ahmed, president of one of the associations, said that the Corporation's decision would be of help to hundreds of traders.
The members at the meeting requested the Corporation to provide makeshift shelter near the construction site.
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The Perambur abattoir is being modernised by the Chennai Corporation at a cost of Rs.48 crore.
The total area available for the project is 9.4 acres. While the facility would come up on three acres, a park would be developed on the remaining land. The New Delhi-based Hind Agro Industries is implementing the project and the civic body would earn Rs.40 lakh royalty annually.
A 2.60-lakh-litre sewage treatment plant and refrigeration facilities are some of the highlights of the upcoming facility.