While Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said on Monday that no beef stalls should come up in the proposed new Central Market building to be built by Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL), Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath said that he will not lay the foundation stone for the new building if it had provision for such stalls.

In a representation given to Mr. Kamath, VHP district president Gopal Kuttar and Bajrang Dal district convenor Puneet Attavar said that they have learnt about MSCL proposing to have nine beef stalls in the building.

For several years, beef from cows slaughtered in illegal abattoirs in Mangaluru and other parts of the district was being sold in the market. Giving space for more beef shops will only increase illegal slaughter of cows which will lead to communal trouble in the region, they said.

Responding to it, Mr. Kamath told them that a proposal to have beef stalls was made at the time when the State government had not passed the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act.

“As the Act is in force now, there is no question of having beef stalls in the new building to be constructed at a cost of ₹114 crore,” Mr. Kamath said and added, “If there is a provision for beef stalls, I will not lay the foundation stone for the building.”

He instructed MSCL to make necessary changes to the old proposal and submit a revised one.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jayanand Anchan said in a statement that the old Central Market building which had beef stalls has been demolished to build a new one. It is only after completing the construction of the new building, bids will be invited for auctioning and allotment of shops to traders, he said and added that now no permission has been given for any meat stalls in the proposed building.

MSCL has proposed to build the new Central Market and fish market on the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer basis through public-private partnership. The new building will have 132 shops and 347 stalls for vegetables and fruits, 30 meat stalls, 200 fresh fish and 79 dry fish stalls and 150 general stalls, which will include tea stalls and canteen. Space will be set apart for a shopping centre and also office space, MSCL has said in its Request for Proposal.

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