Trade of sick sacrificial animals barred in Pindi

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema has banned the trade of those sacrificial animals which are either weak or suffer from illnesses including the Congo virus and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).

Due to the danger of the spread of LSD, the livestock department has also decided to check and vaccinate all the animals in the cattle markets.

Mobile veterinary dispensary vans along with veterinary doctors and staff will be available on roads for checking of the sacrificial animals.

Teams comprising veterinary doctors and staff will be deputed to each cattle market and will ensure the checking of all sacrificial animals at the entry and exit points in the markets.

Sources said immediate action will be taken on the sale and purchase of emaciated and sick animals while the cattle markets will be allowed to function from June 17 to 30 and all the cattle markets will be removed on the third day of Eidul Azha.

For the Rawalpindi city and cantonment, markets for sacrificial animals will be established at Bhata Chowk and Chaklala Cantonment Board.

One cattle market each will be established in other tehsils like Gujjar Khan, Taxila, Murree, Kotli Satian, Kahuta, and Kallar Syedan and all these markets will be monitored by the relevant assistant commissioners.

The contract for the central cattle market at Bhata Chowk has been awarded for Rs80.5 million. A duty of Rs3,000 has been imposed on large animals and Rs2,000 on small animals.

Preparations for setting up the cattle markets will be started from June 15 and the cattle markets will be cordoned off from all sides. The cattle traders will also have to pay land rent to the contractor in addition to the water and electricity charges.

The market contractors have started awarding contracts to private companies to cordon off the markets. Parking contracts will be awarded separately.

The contractor said that the sacrificial animals will be brought to the cattle market for sale from June 18. Apart from small and large animals, there will be separate stalls for their fodder while selling animals outside the market will be prohibited.

Senior Veterinary Officer Dr Maria told The Express Tribune that every cattle market will have stalls for the livestock department and there will be special checking of diseases transmitted from animals to humans.

“Vaccination of animals will also be carried out. We will have a veterinary doctor, staff and medicines at our health stalls,” she said.

Meanwhile, an entry fee of Rs500 to Rs600 has also been imposed on vehicles bringing animals to the market.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2023.