CDA has decided to allow only its own cattle market in Sector I-11 to operate within capital’s city limits. PHOTO: NNI
A cattle market on the outskirts of the federal capital was removed by the civic authorities on Tuesday.
The market was established by a private firm auctioned by the railways adjacent to Sector I-11 cattle market in violation of CDA bylaws.
The civic agency spokesperson said the railways management auctioned the ‘illegal cattle market’ for Rs3.6 million adjacent to CDA’s cattle market in violation of municipal laws.
“After serving notices to the management of Pakistan Railways, CDA took action against the illegal market,” said a statement issued by the civic authorities.
The civic agency’s Municipal Administration Director Hamza Shafqat, told The Express Tribune that CDA by-laws did not allow establishment of such markets within its municipal limits, not even by government departments like railways.
He said the authority not only uprooted the market but also confiscated material from the site. The firm which had established another market approached a local court against the decision but the court rejected his plea against CDA, Shafqat added.
He said CDA also took action against other illegal cattle markets in the area.
“These steps have annoyed many interest groups who used to extort money by establishing illegal cattle markets in the city,” Shafqat said.
It was common practice for powerful lobbies to establish small and large-scale cattle markets in the city to make quick bucks before Eidul Azha but this year, the CDA has decided to allow only its own market to operate in the city.
An official in the civic agency said they fetched Rs10 million from the auction of the Sector I-11 cattle market where all necessary measures, like maintaining cleanliness, providing water, tents, temporary pavements and veterinary facilities, are to be provided by the contractor.
He said the CDA had not only provided firefighting vehicles and ambulances at the market but also established a vigilance cell which would be functional round-the-clock and ensure provision of all the facilities by the contractor according to the terms and conditions of the contract.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ