Date:27/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/27/stories/2007082758670300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Involvement of people’s representatives alleged

Staff Reporter

Slaughter house exempted from paying market cess of Rs. 26 crore to market yard

Sangareddy: Member of Legislative Council R. Satyanarayana, in an open letter to the three Ministers belonging to the district here on Sunday, alleged involvement of people’s representatives in the cancellation of market cess to be paid by the Rudraram based Al-Kabir abattoir. He alleged that Rs 5. crore changed hands to save the abattoir from making a payment of Rs. 26 crore to the Sadasivapet market yard.

Irreparable damage

Addressing the Minister for Major Industries J. Geeta Reddy, Minister for School Education Damodar Rajnarsimha and Minister for Cooperation Mohammed Fariduddin, the MLC pointed out that the mechanical slaughter house, which has done irreparable damage to the livestock and environment of the district, has been exempted from paying the accumulated market cess of Rs. 26 crore.

He wrote that so far two abattoirs in the district have slaughtered more than 35 lakh cattle to export beef to Gulf countries. Speaking to the reporters Satyanarayana said that he wanted to know why the Government through an order granted exemption of crores of rupees while small farmers have been put behind bars for not paying small electricity bills.

The MLC expressed surprise as the Zaheerabad-based Allana abattoir was made to cough up the cess and only Al Kabir has been exempted. TRS state secretary Kandula Vara Lakshmi and TRS district secretary Beeriah Yadav were also present.