Smaller cattle markets to be set up outside cities

PESHAWAR: Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information and Local Government Kamran Bangash has said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the cattle markets before Eid-ul-Azha to protect people from coronavirus.

Briefing the media at the Civil Secretariat Itlaa Cell after assuming his additional responsibilities he said according to SOPs, the cattle markets would be set up outside the cities and Instead of establishing big cattle markets, more small markets would be set up to avoid a rush at one place.

He said arrangements will also be made to avoid congestion at the cattle markets, while the traffic police would have the responsibility to come up with a plan to avoid traffic congestion.

Kamran Bangash said that district administration would check the condition of these markets and no cattle market would be set up without registration.

“Elder people and children will not be allowed to enter the cattle markets, so the elders are requested to refrain from entering the markets,” he said.

The special assistant said entry into the cattle markets without a mask would not be allowed while the temperature of every person entering cattle market would be checked with a thermal gun.

Hand washing and sanitizer facilities will be available in the markets. He appealed to the people to take precautionary measures during Eid-ul-Azha and Muharram.

The special assistant said Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had directed the strict implementation of the SOPs and that was why the administration was active in every district.

Kamran Bangash said since the outbreak of Covid-19, the KP government had fully focused on enhancing hospitals capacity across the province, adding last week the chief minister had inaugurated a hospital for coronavirus patients in Nishtarabad having a capacity of 58 beds including the intensive care unit.