Rawalpindi - Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Sarah Hayyat said the sale points and cattle markets for sacrificial animals would be set up outside the city by August 13. The sale points will be established in plains and open places at Adiala Road, Chakri, Rawat, Guja Khan, Islamabad Expressway, Tarnool and near IJ Principal Road, she said.
She said the officials of Livestock department have been directed to take special initiatives to prevent the animals from ticks to curb the risk of Congo virus spread. “The district government has imposed Section 144 in the city and no one will be allowed to bring the sacrificial animals inside the city or in residential areas otherwise legal action will be taken against them,” she said while talking to The Nation at her office on Friday.
Sarah Hayyat said the district government has decided to not allow anyone to bring sacrificial animal inside the city. She said a high-level meeting was also held under the chair of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr Umer Jahangir during which he ordered all the Assistant Commissioners (ACs) including AC Saddar Omer Iftikhar Sherazi to pay visits to their areas and pinpoint the suitable places for setting up cattle markets. The meeting was also attended by City Police Officer (CPO) Abbas Ahsan, Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Muhammad Bin Ashraf, divisional SPs, SPDOs/ASPs, officials of Rawalpindi Solid Waste Management and other officers of district government, she said.
ADC (G) Sarah Hayat added that district government, following orders of Punjab Home Department, has imposed section 144 besides banning the sellers of animals to enter in the city. She said DC also directed police high ups to initiate legal action against the violators. She was of view that the officials of district government are in also touch with high ups of Cantonment Boards to bar the sellers to establish cattle markets in Cantt and garrison. “It has come to our notice that a cattle market has been set up at Chungi Number 22 and it is feared that the other sellers might also establish sale points in residential areas,” she said. She informed the cantonment boards’ officials have assured they would bring the matter into notice of Station Commander to stop the entry of cattle sellers. “All these steps are being taken to avoid spread of Congo virus, dirt in the city and the traffic rush ahead of Eid ul Azha,” she mentioned. On a query, she replied the officials of Livestock department were directed to examine the animals after establishing the check posts at all the entry points of city and tick affected animals be separated for treatment. “Well, the district government has yet not notified any place to set up the cattle market and action will be taken against those involved in collecting extortion from sellers and the buyers in a cattle market in Mandra,” Sarah Hayat replied to another query that some unknown armed men are involved in collecting tax forcefully from buyers of sacrificial animals in Mandra.
Meanwhile, AC Saddar Omer Iftikhar Sherazi visited Adiala Road and Chakri Road to select a suitable place to establish cattle markets. “I will submit my report to DC today (Saturday),” he said during an interaction with The Nation.
Separately, DC Dr Umer Jahangir in a meeting has banned collection of skins of sacrificial animals without NoC. He also said that the security should also be beefed up ahead of Eid besides devising a comprehensive traffic plan to facilitate the citizens. He directed the RSWM officials to stay alert for lifting offal and dumping them properly. He also ordered the authorities concerned to distribute special plastic bags door to door for packing up the offal and remains of sacrificial animals.