The exorbitant increase in prices of sacrificial animals at several makeshift animal markets in the capital has forced the residents to visit nearby villages in search of animals at comparatively low prices, a visit to the sacrificial animals’ markets by Business Recorder on Wednesday revealed.
Animals from different areas of the country are brought to these makeshift markets where prices of goats and sheep start from Rs 15,000 while cows while buffalos and bulls are available between Rs 63,000 to Rs 120,000. Significant increase was noted in the prices of animals, as compared to the last year, as prices of goat/sheep has increased 80 to 100 percent, as they started from Rs 8000-10,000 last year while this year the initial prices are Rs 15,000-20,000. Meanwhile, prices of sacrificial animals are comparatively low in nearby villages and small cities like Taxila, Hasan Abdal, Attock and Gujar Khan.
Zahid Khan, an animal trader, told Business Recorder that a goat weighing 15 kg to 20 kg was available at Rs 25, 000 to Rs 30, 000, while a sheep of the same weight was being sold at Rs 20, 000 to Rs 25, 000. He said that sale of animal would gain momentum in the coming days, as the dwellers, who faced difficulties in keeping the animals in their yards, would start visiting the markets just two days ahead of Eidul Azha.
During the visit, it was noted that several social and religious organisations have made arrangements for collective sacrifice to facilitate low income group so that they can perform their religious obligation by spending Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000. On the other hand, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chalked-out a comprehensive plan to collect and dispose of entrails, offal and waste material of sacrificial animals from the Federal Capital during the Eid-ul-Azha.
According to a statement issued by CDA, Chairman CDA Nadeem Hassan Asif, while chairing a meeting to finalise the arrangements for Eid-ul-Azha directed all the formations of the Authority to make all-out efforts for provision of quality services to the citizens. He further directed officers of Environment Wing, Civic Management and Sanitation Directorate to monitor the cleanliness drive during Eid-ul-Azha. The concerned formation of the Authority would provide additional machinery and assistance to the Directorate of Sanitation for the operation.
On the directives of Chairman CDA, the city has been divided into four zones for effective implementation of the action plan. Zone-I includes F-5, F-6, G-5, G-6, Blue Area, Saidpur Village and Bari Imam. Areas in Zone-II include Faisal Masjid, Sector E-7, F-8, F-7, G-7 and G-8. Similarly, Zone-III consists of F-10, F-11, Golra Sharif, G-9, G-10, G-11, G-13. While Zone-IV includes H-8, H-9, H-10, H-11, I-8, I-9, I-10, I-11, Highway, Model Village Humak, Shahzad Town, Rawal Town and Margalla Town. Chief Sanitary Inspectors of Sanitation Directorate would monitor each zone in the city.
The Authority would also dig as many as 29 deep ditches at 17 different locations in the entire city for proper disposal of offal and other wastes. Besides, two emergency cells have been established at Sanitation Directorate and at Transport Cell of Sanitation Directorate in Fire Headquarters, which would be functional round the clock. During the emergency operation on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, 2500 workers of Sanitation Directorate including cleaners, supervisory staff, contractors and their staff, and officers will actively participate. The workers would be equipped with more than 100 vehicles, tractors and trolleys, compactors, trucks, dumpers, shawal, dozers etc. Lime powder would be sprinkled and applied to garbage trolleys and sacrificial places. On experimental basis, plastic bags would be distributed among the residents of Sector G-6, G-7, G-8, G-9, G-10 and I-10 for disposal of the remains of sacrificial animals which would be handed over to the sanitation workers for final dumping.
