Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: This year, the city managers have again decided to establish a cattle market before Eidul Azha at Sector I-12/1, instead of Sector I-11,where it was held previously.

For the first time after the establishment of the Metropolitan Corporation, Islamabad, the subordinate DMA auctioned the cattle market for 23. 5 million rupees.

Sources said that there was a chance that like the previous year the vendors who used to bring sacrificial animals to the federal capital may establish their own illegal cattle market at Sector I-11.

And then the mayor, the deputy mayor, the CDA chairman, the director enforcement, the deputy commissioner, the director municipal administration and the deputy director municipal will be responsible.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) had auctioned to establish a cattle market in Sector I-12/1 for just 23.5 million rupees to the contractor Malik and Co, comparatively in 2014, the auction for the cattle market in Sector I-11 was finalised for 27.5 million rupees.

However, in 2015, the Authority had been deciding to auction the cattle market in Sector I-12 which is actually a side area; after that auction, vendors who used to bring sacrificial animals every year to the capital before Eidul Azha, along with buyers, preferred to stay in the illegal cattle market of I-11.

It is worthy to mention here that there are no sufficient arrangements made so far including the supply of clean drinking water for animals, security staff deployment, camps of veterinary doctors, proper places for animal loading and unloading, public toilets, site electrification, car parking for buyers and directional sign boards, among other things. All these have not been made at the approved site I-11.

The Public Relations Department always issued a press release in this regard to make animal vendors and buyers aware on the occasion of Eidul Azha but curiously this year, the Public Relations Department has not issued a press release which is sheer negligence.

The Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) had issued an advertisement on August 5 to seek interesting contractors. The auction was done on August 19.

When contacted, the Director for DMA, Tahir Shehbaz Nadeem, confirmed that the auction was made for 23.5 million rupees to Malik and Co. The contractor had already paid 25 per cent of the bid on the first day as per criteria, the auction of the site for the cattle market is for 13 days, he added.