Mysuru: Residents of Hale Kesare in city staged a protest over the proposed construction of huge slaughter house at Old Kesare beyond the Ring Road here this morning.

The residents, numbering about 75, who staged a protest, demanded that the slaughter house be moved to a  different location. 

They said that though the rules state that the slaughter house should be constructed 20 kms away from residential areas, the MCC had proposed to construct the slaughter house at its land where there are apartments right in front of it, RTO East Office behind it, a school nearby where hundreds of children study and nearly 7,000 people reside in the area where the abattoir is to be constructed.

Stating that it was an unscientific concept of constructing an abattoir at Hale Kesare as the health of the residents will be at risk, the residents have warned of staging an indefinite protest from Oct. 17.

Prashanth, Nanjundaswamy, Vincent, Jaishankar, Syeda Shereen, Muneer, Guruswamy and others took part in the protest.

It may be recalled that about two years back, the MCC had proposed to construct a mechanised abattoir at R.S. Naidu Nagar, which met stiff resistance from the residents and they sat on a dharna for months together till the project was shelved. 

The protesters were led by former MLA Maruthi Rao Pawar. Despite agitations, the project got momentum and the Centre too gave its green signal.

This issue also figured during many Council meetings. The project had drawn the ire of residents of the area and various organisations, including the BJP, on the grounds that it was close to residential areas. BJP Corporators objected stating that the area was not suitable as it was close to places of worship of all communities. Apart from residential areas, there were schools and hospitals in the vicinity and hence the abattoir should be shifted, they had said.

Later, a delegation led by Maruthi Rao Pawar met the then Union Environment Minister and Union Science and Technology Minster and conveyed to them that there was opposition from the residents for the mechanised slaughterhouse.

Following his meeting with the Minister, the project was stalled.