Mangaluru: State Minister of Urban Development and Housing and Dakshina Kannada District In-charge Minister U T Khader has justified his move of developing the slaughterhouse under the smart city projects stating that the dream of `Swacch Bharat` will be realised only when maximum priority is to cleanliness.
Addressing the reporters at Circuit House on Monday, October 8, Khader condemned the statement of BJP leaders who alleged that Khader has diverted the fund of Rs 15 Crore which was meant for the smart city project. “The slaughterhouse at Kudroli needs some basic infrastructure and there is a need to develop it under smart city project, Those who are opposing the move of developing slaughterhouse are against the idea of development. The slaughterhouse at Kudroli was built around 75 years ago and a full-fledged one is the need of the hour now. Hence, I decided to develop the same slaughterhouse under the smart city project. Those who are opposing my move, why don’t you write a single letter to the ministry of urban development? Opposing this project is nothing but vote bank politics of BJP”, he stressed.
‘I am always against illegal transportation of cattle’
When asked about the stolen cattle being slaughtered without following any procedures at Kudroli slaughterhouse, Khader clarified that he was against the illegal cattle transportation and illegal slaughter of animals. “Police department should take action against the illegal cattle transportation and slaughter. But one should not oppose the development of slaughterhouse citing silly reasons”, he said and added that when BJP was in power, Kudroli slaughterhouse was run by a person who was a staunch follower of BJP. Why the BJP leaders did not oppose when the slaughterhouse was run by their own members?”, he questioned.
Meanwhile, Khader informed that though he had proposed to develop the slaughterhouse at a cost of Rs 15 Crore, it is yet to be approved by the Union Ministry of Urban Development. If anyone has any objection on earmarking fund for the development of slaughterhouse, they can write a letter to the ministry and stop the proposal”, he said.
Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Bhaskar K, Deputy Mayor Mohammed K and other leaders Shashidhar Hegde, Mamatha Gatti, Karunakar among others were present.
