By By Ali Raza
Keeping in view the deteriorating law and order, the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has yet to decide the issue of establishing temporary markets for sacrificial animals in the provincial capital.
Officials said the issue was on the agenda of the Lahore district coordination officer (DCO) and a meeting to discuss it was likely to be held within next three days. They said it was most likely that the CDGL authorities would allow the establishment of markets of sacrificial animals in the city, but only at some designated places.
Sacrificial animals have started arriving in the city and one can witness small herds of sacrificial animals stationed at various vacant plots in different residential areas, LDA’s housing schemes and at city’s entry/exit points.
CDGL officials claimed that sacrificial animals from Sadiqabad, Sargodha, Multan, Jacobabad, Sahiwal and Sheikhupura districts had started to come in Lahore and the supply would increase gradually.
They said the prices of all kinds of sacrificial animals were very high at the moment as an average goat weighing about 20 kilogram was from 6,000 to Rs 10,000, while a sheep of the same weight was available at Rs 5,500 to Rs 8,500. A small cow costs from Rs 18,000 to Rs 30,000. They said the prices were expected to come down with the arrival of more animals.
Every year, the animal markets are established at Bakkar Mandi, Ichra, Chowk Yatim Khana, Bagbanpura, Chaurburji, Faisal Town, Scheme More, Green Town, Railway Station, Wahdat Road, Multan Road, Dehli Gate and Bhati Darbar, etc.
A CDGL official said the DCO had already directed the Solid Waste Management (SWM) department to constitute special teams to ensure cleanliness in and around the places specified for the animals. The city government had also asked the police to ensure security at the places while the respective Town governments were directed to ensure proper lighting. Last year, the Punjab government waived off entry tax on sacrificial animals but a large number of vendors complained that contractors and officials of the Town Administrations were extorting money from them. They said this year the government might waived off the tax to avoid complaints of the extortion from the sellers.
On the other hand, a large number of online suppliers of sacrificial animals and big meat supply chains have also started advertising their stocks through SMSs and emails.
During the last two years, the trend of purchasing sacrificial animals through internet gained popularity among the citizens as the process is supposed to be hassle free. Many websites claimed browsing animals on internet is better than personally going to a cattle market to select an animal.
They said people could browse animals by their pictures and rates and place orders. The websites also accept all kinds of credit cards and other modes of payments through internet like Pay Pal, etc. The same animals are delivered at their doorstep the next day.
Similarly, different chains of big stores are also providing the pictures of sacrificial animals with their specifications on their websites and, claiming that buying a sacrificial animal on internet is hassle free without any bargaining because of competitive prices.
Mujahid Hussain, a resident of Johar Town, said on last Eid-ul-Azha he purchased a goat through one of such website and this year he would again do the same. “It saved my time, otherwise, I have to go to some stinking cattle market in this heavy traffic of the provincial metropolis, bargain a lot with the sellers and then look for a van to get the animal home,” he said adding the internet had made it very easy now.
Several residents said that prices on the websites right now were quite exorbitant. They hoped that the prices would come down near Eid. They said the city government should promote the sale of sacrificial animals through SMSs, Internet to keep the city clean. People, usually, set up cattle markets on the city roads and green belts.