Seized beef left for 24 hrs at Margao railway station to rot

While the police has arrested one person in connection with the illegal import of beef into the state via the railways, the beef consignment was left to rot at the Margao railway station for want of disposal.

The incident brought to the fore the question of disposal of the beef seized at the Margao railway station and why there was a delay of over 24 hours to dispose of the beef.

That the beef was still lying at the Margao railway station premises came to light on Wednesday when the consignment was found at the site. Bajrang Dal leader Viraj Desai who had come to inquire over the beef seizure was informed that the seized beef was still lying at the station premises. After he was informed that the Konkan railway police has written a letter to the Margao Municipal Council to dispose of the meat, Viraj along with a police constable called on Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar and Chief Officer Melvyn Vaz to use their good offices to dispose of the meat.

The Margao civic chief assured the Bajrang Dal leader that the civic body would get the meat disposed of but Shirodkar underscored the need to put a system in place involving authorities such as the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary services for better coordination amongst the agencies.

“I do not know how come the seized meat was not disposed off during the last 24 hours. It is surprising that the beef was allowed to rot at the station premises”, Shirodkar said.

He said he would immediately issue an order to the Municipal workers to dispose of the carcass by burying in a pit. “By tomorrow morning, the beef would further decompose. In such circumstances, it would not be proper to dispose of the meat in wet waste. I will get it buried in pits”, he said.

While  thanking the Margao Municipal Chairperson for his gesture, the Bajrang Dal leader said the meat must have been in transit for more than 24 hours, adding “this means that the process of decomposition must have already started”.