The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) alongside the Enforcement Branch will start investigation into the whereabouts of left-over meat by the animals in Alipore Zoological Garden.
The civic body had yesterday conducted a food safety drive wherein the food safety officers had raided food stalls inside the zoo premises.
On enquiring about what happens to the left-over meat by the animals, the food safety officers learnt from the zoo director that the excess meat is handed over to an authorised agent who supposedly distributes it in the fish bheris in the city as fish food, as stated by a KMC official.
The KMC officials had learnt from the zoo authorities that they procure seven to eight kilograms of buffalo meat, through tendering, for consumption of animals.
Mr Atin Ghosh, member mayor-in-council (MMIC), health, said “We had visited the zoo for purposes of conducting a food safety drive. We enquired with the zoo director regarding the whereabouts of the left-over meat by animals inside the zoo.
We were told that an authorised agent is handed over the excess meat with a carry charge of Rs 2600, who thereafter, supposedly distributes it in the fish bheris as fish food. We will, however, conduct further probe into the matter and will take it up with the Enforcement Branch as the fish bheris which are mostly in Bidhannagar area is out of KMC’s jurisdiction.”
In a recent development, the concerned agent reportedly named Ramprit Das who carries the left-over meat to the fish bheris is absconding from his home.
A civic body team, today, on reaching his home today in Salt Lake was told by his son that he is presently in Jharkhand.
The police, on the other hand, have reportedly begun investigation into the bank accounts of all the arrested suspects in the case of supplying carcass meat to markets.
Meanwhile, the departmental stores continue to reel under losses as sale of frozen meat has completely hit the ground due to the carcass meat scandal.
Speaking about the same, the store manager of a departmental store inside a renowned mall in Salt Lake said, “Our meat sales especially the cold cuts have taken a dip but we are trying to restore the customers’ faith by assuring them of the product’s quality which is procured from FSSAI approved suppliers.”