Livestock market to open four days a week in Hyderabad amid COVID-19 lockdown

HYDERABAD: Though the Sindh government has announced a complete lockdown across the province, Hyderabad's livestock and vegetable markets will continue to operate as normal, with hundreds of traders gathering there daily.

A meeting chaired by Hyderabad deputy commissioner (DC) Ayesha Abro was informed on Sunday that the livestock market, which previously operated once a week, has now been permitted to open four days a week.

The authorities expressed the belief that increasing the number of working days would reduce the visitors coming to the market. Hyderabad Rural assistant commissioner Sarhan Abro said that the market would open from March 24.

Meanwhile, Latifabad assistant commissioner Faraz Ahmed Siddiqui said that the shifting of fruit and vegetable vendors from the old market to the new market in the city's outskirts was underway. According to him, trade and auction activities in the new vegetable market in Hala Naka had already begun.

The DC asked the officials, including Hyderabad SSP Adeel Hussain Chandio, to ensure strict compliance with the lockdown imposed by the Sindh government. She directed them to continue engaging with religious leaders about the situation and request them to make announcements about precautions from the mosques.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2020.