Administrative decisions: Congo virus threat to be eliminated, says DCO

Police asked to help Livestock Dept officials check and spray all animals with medicine

BAHAWALPUR: Rahim Yar Khan district police have been asked to help Livestock Department’s mobile teams in checking animals brought into the district, DCO Zafar Iqbal said on Tuesday.

He said the mobile teams had been stationed at police check posts at the entrances to the city. They had been directed to check and spray all animals with anti-ticks medicine. “We want to completely remove any chances of a Congo virus infestation,” the DCO said. The campaign involves raising awareness about preventive measures cattle handlers, cattle brokers and butchers can take to prevent a possible infestation.

The DCO said no organisation or department would be allowed to collect hides of sacrificial animals without first being vetted by the District Intelligence Committee. He said fool-proof arrangements had been made to ensure security at cattle markets and at Eidul Azha prayer gatherings.

Iqbal said Eidul Azha was around the corner, which is why all assistant commissioners have been told to speed up efforts to eradicate Congo virus. Banners carrying precautionary measures have been placed at all hospitals, public spaces and cattle markets. A special counter has been set up at Shaikh Zayed Hospital and a special ward has been quarantined, even though there has been no Congo virus case reported yet, he said.

The DCO said that the district administration had taken strict notice of reports of an increase in child kidnappings in the province. He said though they believed it to be a rumour, the district administration and police had decided to draw a plan of action to secure spaces frequented by children. The DCO said there had been no missing children reported in Rahim Yar Khan recently. “However, there is a scare among parents…we want to remove that and put the rumours to rest.”

He said security plans for important locations were being reviewed once again.

Overall security has been tightened and suggestions from tehsil-level security advisory committees are being incorporated in the new plans, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2016.