Proper measures needed for Eidul Azha sacrifices

There is much euphoria about ‘tabdeeli’ (change) these days and hopefully things that bring the country a bad name or make the lives of citizens uncomfortable and troublesome will move towards the better in time to come. But despite the new governments’ resolve things may not alter from the usual as much as we would like, if the attitude, indifference and bad habits of the people do not undergo a transformation. This is most important to bring about a change.

Take for instance the pre, during and after situation that exists all over the country during Eidul Azha. While open spaces are provided for the sacrificial animals to be confined in one place, you can see small groups in main shopping areas; side roads and even being sold door to door. This means disease spreading animal faeces is spread as vehicles drive over it, splashing in places where edibles are being sold, not to say anything about the stench that arises from it, especially in this weather. There should be strict implementation of keeping animals contained in one place. On top of this, many of those who have bought an animal allow their children to handle it, who more often than not, tease/mistreat the poor thing. It is not a toy and should not be treated as such.

The method by which animals are slaughtered also needs to be improved as most of the ‘butchers’ are just men from different walks of life who take up this job to earn extra money. They do not know how to use the knife so that the animal remains calm and pain free, so it struggles and requires people to restrain it - very inhumane and upsetting. And the worst part is when those who go through this experience, or have witnessed, it repeat the story with relish, as if it’s something to be proud of. Training centers or classes should be mandatory for would be butchers.

And in conclusion, after the sacrifice it’s so distressing seeing blood and offal on the roads along markets where professional butchers have their setup and in streets outside houses where the animals have been slaughtered. A strict law needs to be implemented against this public display of sacrifice. If people do not have room inside their house they should be allotted a space nearby and made to use it and professional butchers need to be prohibited to use the road outside their shops.

The civic authorities do try their best to clean up but they concentrate mostly on garbage heaps where offal has been thrown. It’s impossible for them to go from street to street and pick up the remains, so those who throw them outside their house should be fined.

We really need to change the way the act of sacrifice is carried out. After all our religion puts emphasis on humane behaviour and cleanliness and these aspects should be the priority in our lives, particularly on this special occasion.