HYDERABAD, Dec 13: The district government will monitor sale of sacrificial animals at the cattle market to ensure that the contractor and his employees do not charge exorbitant prices.

The cattle market to be set up along the Hala Nako Road for 10 days in the Baldia police area was auctioned for Rs3,850,000 by the TMA city in an open auction held on Nov 26 in the Jinnah Hall. Last year, it was auctioned for Rs1.7 million.

There have always been complaints from buyers that they were fleeced by employees of contractors who forced them to pay Rs300-Rs400 for each sacrificial goat and Rs700-Rs800 for each sacrificial cow otherwise they were not allowed to take animals away from the market.

The contractor charged fees from sellers of the animals.

Animals including cows, goats and sheep were brought from various parts of the interior of Sindh to Hyderabad’s cattle market because it was also one of the main markets for purchase of sacrificial animals to be sent to Karachi whenever there was shortage.

Last year when the market was auctioned for Rs1.7 million people had complained that the contractor’s employees were overcharging animals’ fees in violation of the auction’s terms and conditions. Though the complaints were made every now and then but the municipal authorities remained least concerned.

As per the agreement the contractor has to provide proper lighting arrangements within the piri premises but it was seen that no such arrangements were put in place except for casual lighting system.

It caused problems to people to pick healthy animal which is necessary for sacrifice. Insanitation prevailed in the cattle piri as the contractor paid no attention to it.

For the last couple of years Eidul Azha has been falling during winter season, but the contractor failed to ensure proper winter arrangements for animals.

The TMA city only provides security through police authorities and supply of water. In the past dirty water remained stagnant on some portion of the piri, causing problems to buyers and sellers.