Over 60,000 animals sacrificed in Islamabad during Eidul Azha

IMC deploys 2,000 sanitary workers, 200 vehicles for clean-up

ISLAMABAD: Around 60,000 animals were sacrificed by residents living in model villages and other urban areas of Islamabad as compared to 50,000 of last year during three days of Eidul Azha.

According to an estimate around 70 per cent people living in Islamabad usually celebrate their religious festivities in their hometowns due to which a large scale exodus of people is being witnessed on such occasions. Despite large scale departure of residents the number of sacrifices of animal increased slightly.



According to Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) Sanitation Directorate workers collected and disposed of offal, entrails and other waste material of more than 60,000 sacrificial animals. Incidentally, majority of Islamabad administrators are on leave including Mayor and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Sheikh Anser Aziz who is in London along with ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

“This year we also collected offal and remaining of sacrificial animals from Frash Town, Lehtrar Road, Khanna Pull, Tramiri, Shah Allah Ditta besides of Bahara Kahu due to which number of collection four to five thousands increased as compared to last year’s collections,” IMC Director Sanitation Sardar Khan Zimri told The Express Tribune.

He said that in Bhara Kahu, people were asked to dump the waste at particular spots from where IMC sanitary workers lifted it. He however said that a rising trend in number of sacrifices was also witnessed this year.  In absence of Mayor Aziz, Deputy Mayor Syed Zeshan Ali Naqvi visited different sectors, model villages and urban areas to oversee arrangements made by the Sanitation Directorate in connection with special cleanliness operation.

On this occasion, Director Sanitation, officers of other relevant formations and local representatives were also present. Director Sanitation, Sardar Khan Zimri, also visited different areas of the city on the first, second and the third day to make this operation more successful.

While appreciating the arrangements of cleanliness operation Deputy Mayor of Islamabad, Syed Zeeshan Ali Naqvi said that all staff and officers of relevant formations participated in the cleanliness operation with full devotion and for this reason the operation remained successful and efforts of officials and officers in this regard are commendable. He said that cooperation of the resident of the city was among the key factor for making this operation a success.

IMC Director Sanitation Sardar Khan Zimri said that according to Cleanliness Operation action plan 60 deep ditches and trenches were dug up at 25 different locations in the city where the remains and offal of sacrificial animals were disposed of scientifically.

He said that to make operation  successful Islamabad was divided into six zones for collection of offal.



“Leaves of entire staff of sanitation directorate were cancelled to meet the gigantic task. More than 2000 sanitary workers including sweepers, supervisory staff, contractor’s staff and officers actively participated in the cleanliness drive. Beside the staff of Sanitation, Emergency and Disaster Management and other formations assisted in the said operation. Each and every street of all sectors of Islamabad was got cleaned by the workers of Sanitation Directorate of CDA.”

He said that about 200 vehicles including tractors with trolleys, shovels, dozers, trucks, compactors etc. of Sanitation Directorate, MPO, Environment Directorate, Enforcement Directorate and other concerned Directorates had been used and the uninterrupted cleanliness operation continued round the clock.

During this meal was also provided to sanitation staff in the field to avoid wastage of time. While lime powder has also been sprinkled and applied on the surroundings of places where sacrifices took place, around ditches and garbage trolleys.

Moreover, helpline was established, which remained functional round the clock. He said that first day IMC Complaint Cell received only 40 complaints of which 35 were attended within 10 minutes while second day cell received 15 complaint and no complaint was received on the third day of Eidul Azha.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2017.