On August 28, 2022, India made history by demolishing the SuperTech Emerald Twin Towers in Noida, Sector 93 which were nearly 100-meter high and taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar.
As per the real estate rules and regulations, the distance between two adjacent buildings should be at least 16m with a height of 18m. The Twin towers were Apex (102m) and Ceyane (95m) in height with only a 9m distance between the buildings.
According to the Supreme court, the 29-storey, Ceyane, and 32-storey, Apex were constructed in violation of multiple regulations. There were foundational cracks that imposed a serious threat to the structural integrity of the concrete foundation of the building. Hence, the Twin towers were demolished on Sunday at 2:30 pm through a waterfall implosion. The implosion lasted 12 seconds, making it the tallest structure demolition in the country.
A lot of preparation had been done and more than 3700 kgs of explosives were used in the operation. The cost of demolition was estimated at Rs. 20 crores.
All the cost was borne and operation was done for the illegal construction of the building. So, if due to several violations and illegal practices, the government can give orders to demolish the Twin towers, then what about the illegal slaughterhouses operating in the country?
Why does the government not put light on this matter and give orders to demolish the illegal slaughterhouses?
India is the second highest-owning cow slaughterhouse with more than 32000 illegal slaughterhouses and the top world beef exporter.
Ghazipur slaughterhouse is the largest in Delhi that caters to the meat requirements of the larger part of the city. More than 2000 buffaloes and around 15000 sheep and goats are slaughtered daily. Traders are also engaged in the meat business and illegal slaughtering in the city.
Ghazipur is known as the oldest and largest landfill site in Delhi spread over 29 hectares and is used for dumping Municipal Solid Waste since 1984. It’s carrying waste beyond its capacity. The Ghazipur garbage dump is almost as tall as Qutub Minar and stood at 65 meters tall. The landfill has impacted the lives of many residents of the nearby locations such as Ghazipur, Kondli, Kaushambi, Kalyanpuri, etc.
And now is the time for the government to look into this matter and give orders to demolish these slaughterhouses that are causing harm to the environment and impacting the health of the people.
Why should slaughterhouses be demolished?
There are several reasons why slaughterhouses should be demolished:
- SLAUGHTERHOUSES ARE UNSANITARY
Slaughterhouses are unsanitary and are responsible for spreading harmful diseases and bacteria. During the slaughter process, blood, urine, fecal matter, and other secretions can contaminate the workers. Even raw meat can be contaminated with pathogens during slaughtering and can cause food hazards. Foodborne pathogens are the leading cause of illness and death and it's a major issue for public health.
- SLAUGHTERHOUSES CAUSE WATER POLLUTION
Slaughterhouses produce a large amount of waste and are considered a major source of environmental pollution. The washing of meat dirtied the water and slaughterhouses discharges waste into landfills and water bodies. The wastewater contains high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, which contribute to toxic and dead zones in the water. Polluted water affects the health of residents, particularly children, and elders.
The blood from slaughterhouses is either used to make human food and animal feed or is disposed of in sewers. Sometimes the water filled with blood starts overflowing. The profuse discharge of untreated sewage into the drain results in high toxicity and a foul smell.
- SLAUGHTERHOUSES CAUSE AIR POLLUTION AND ROAD ACCIDENTS
The disposed soil with waste from slaughterhouses contains a high count of bacterial and fungal properties. The carcasses of the animals lying around on roadsides, or dumped into landfill create a strong bad smell, makes the air unbreathable and leads to air pollution. Apart from this, over the years, several people have been killed and vehicles fell into the drain after the landfill site collapsed due to overfilling. In 2017, two people were killed and four vehicles fell into the drain when fifty tonnes of garbage came crashing down the high mountain of waste at the Ghazipur landfill site.
- SLAUGHTERHOUSES EXPLOIT WORKERS
Workers in slaughterhouses are poorly paid and have to work in hazardous working conditions. They are bound to work in poor conditions in slippery areas with sharp knives and other dangerous equipment. They suffer from chronic illnesses and several impairments due to repetitive physical actions. They do not get adequate time to take rest.
- SLAUGHTERHOUSES CAUSE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
The Meat industry is one of the largest producers of greenhouse gas emissions. Slaughterhouses alone are responsible for large outputs of 60% of the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, contributing to climate change. These gases are created in the process of slaughter and degradation of wastewater. Even from Ghazipur Slaughterhouse alone, more than 1700 kilolitres of wastewater are dumped into sewage. The emission causes severe climate change by tapping the heat and contributes to respiratory diseases from smoke and air pollution.
