Cattle markets operate sans SOPs

At a time when coronavirus cases have surged once again across the province, gross violation of the government-mandated Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) have been seen at 12 cattle markets established across the provincial capital, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Reportedly, the surge in virus cases has been blamed on the SOPs violations taking place at these markets where people make visits to look for and purchase sacrificial animals ahead of the Eidul Azha festival.

People are flocking these markets in spirit of the unique festival. However, the joy derived from the sacrificial animals may draw down as Covid-19 continues to spread unabated in the metropolis. Both sellers of the animals and the purchasers as well as onlookers continue to violate social distancing rules and wearing of face masks.

On the other hand, the local government authorities have failed to implement the SOPs. The provincial health department officials have appealed to the citizens to follow the SOPs to curb the spread of the deadly contagion.

Cattle markets in Lahore have increasingly come under speculation for the virus’ spread as almost all stakeholders could be seen without face mask and gloves. The minimum six feet social distancing rule was also nowhere to be seen.

Read ‘Anti-Covid SOPs a must at cattle markets’

The Punjab government established 12 points for the cattle markets to facilitate the masses including Lakhodair Ring Road, LDA City Kahna, fruit market Kacha, pine avenue road, DHA phase 9 N block, Kahna Kacha interchange, Saggian bridge, NFC Society Multan Road, Manga Multan Road, Raiwind Road and Shahpur Kanjran cattle market.

It was observed that there was no one at these markets to impose the coronavirus SOPs. The sellers at the cattle markets were also insensitive to the virus situation at a time when their cooperation was most needed.

Families visiting these markets also violated social distancing rules. Children and elderly citizens were not being encouraged to wear face masks

Muhammad Asad, who visited the cattle market in Saggian, said, "Over the past year, local government teams took strict measures over violation of Covid-19 SOPs. However, this year even the Lahore administration seems to have relaxed any virus-related restrictions over the public. This is the reason why everyone was violating the SOPs.

As many as 118 mobile vaccination camps were established by the P&SHD at the cattle markets of the province and the department officials claimed to have taken the best preventive steps to facilitate to public and protective them from the deadly contagion.

A senior official of the provincial health department said that it was up to the local government to implement the SOPs as in the coming days, the cattle markets will witness overcrowding. “If we did not enforce SOPs, then the virus situation will likely exacerbate during the Eidul Azha holidays.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2021.