We have to manage the waste of sacrificial animals

Eid-ul-Azha, one of the religious festivals of Muslims, is going to be celebrated next Sunday, July 10, 2022. One of the aspects of Eid-ul-Azha is animal sacrifice. On this day, devout Muslims offer animal sacrifices according to their ability. But due to lack of proper management and awareness, there is a possibility of serious environmental pollution from animal blood and remains. And there is a risk of spreading various diseases from waste. That is why we all have to pay attention to the overall cleanliness after animal sacrifice. Especially in densely populated areas, if the waste of the sacrificial animal is not properly cleaned, it can have a number of serious adverse effects on the whole. Prominent researcher Dr. MM Majed, the founder of the National Patient Welfare Society, wrote a column on today’s topic …About 50 per cent of the animals slaughtered in the country every year are slaughtered on Eid-ul-Adha. Lack of proper management and public awareness of slaughtered animal waste রক্ত ​​blood, intestines, dung, bones, hooves, horns, adversely affects public health, including serious environmental disasters. Proper environmental sacrifice and waste management will prevent environmental disasters on the one hand, and turn the remains of slaughtered animals into resources on the other.

Besides, it is important to keep one thing in mind, the context of Eid-ul-Azha for two years but a little different than other years. Because today the Eid of Qurbani is going to be held at such a time; When the world including Bangladesh is affected by the coronavirus epidemic. Therefore, during the animal sacrifice, proper care should be taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus from one person to another. There are some things we must follow in the management of sacrificial animal meat and waste.

Disposal of sacrificial animal waste spreads a foul odor and pollutes the environment. Not only that, the germs of various diseases are spread from the waste dumped in the drains or sewers. There is also a risk that the sewer will be closed due to the pressure of excess waste. Waterlogging is caused due to blockage of sewage water in light rains. Then the city corporation or municipality also struggles to remove these wastes. Many times we leave inedible parts of the sacrificial animal’s body here and there. If not seen by the city authorities, those parts spread rotten stench. The city authorities, however, give instructions on the removal of waste before every Eid al-Adha, and conduct public awareness campaigns. Moreover, newspapers, television and almost all other media outlets run the campaign. Sad but true, we don’t take those issues very seriously. In this we face many problems. However, if the sacrificial waste can be brought under proper management, then the environment will be pollution free and public health will be safe.

One way to remove waste is to dig a hole in a field or abandoned area next to the house before the sacrifice. After the sacrifice, the animal waste is dumped there and buried. However, care should be taken while digging holes in urban areas so that water and gas pipes, electricity and telephone wires etc. are not damaged in any way. One way to take effective steps to convert waste into resources is to sacrifice many animals together in rural areas and bury the animal waste under the ground, which can be used in crops as organic fertilizer before the next year’s sacrifice. Blood-stained roads must be washed and cleaned at the end of all sacrificial activities. Bleaching powder or disinfectant should be used while cleaning dirty places to prevent the spread of germs. There is a need to create widespread public awareness about the benefits of proper waste management and the disadvantages of mismanagement. However, in areas where there is no suitable place for digging holes, waste can be removed in the conventional way. This will reduce the responsibility of the city corporation or municipality to some extent. Besides, the wastes will be useful without being wasted. For those who live in the city, it is better to sacrifice a few people in one place without sacrificing in isolated places. This facilitates the work of the waste management authority. However, care must be taken that the place of sacrifice is open.

And if the place is close to the road, it will be easier to reach the garbage disposal vehicle. Everyone should take care that dogs or cats do not throw garbage around. In areas where it is not possible to reach City Corporation vehicles, waste bags or sacks should be kept at designated places for dumping garbage.

In addition to awareness, some steps can be taken to remove waste.

• Those who will sacrifice in their own home or lawn, they must clean up the waste at their own risk.
• Without sacrificing alone, the sacrifice can be made in a designated place based on the mahalla. It also makes it easier to collect waste from specific places collectively.
• After the sacrifice, several families of the same building can take initiative to manage the waste of a society. For example, people can be arranged to remove the waste together who will remove the waste immediately after the sacrifice. This speeds up the removal of waste and does not have much impact on the environment.
• Do not leave the slaughtered animal dung and leftovers separately and fill them in bags and place them in the designated place such as nearby dustbin or container. From there the responsible authorities can easily remove the waste.
• After the sacrifice at the place of slaughter, the blood of the animal should be washed with disinfectant water and bleaching should be sprinkled. So that mosquitoes cannot lay eggs in stinking or frozen water.

In conclusion, after the sacrifice, only our awareness can maintain the healthy environment. At the same time, we should not limit the word ‘sacrifice’ to animal sacrifice alone. We will keep an eye on our sacrifice as a symbol of truth, beauty and welfare.