GUJRAT: The Punjab home department has restricted the charity, welfare and religious originations as well as the seminaries from door-to-door collection of the animal hides on Eidul Azha as the hides can only be collected at the designated collection points.

Besides, the applicants desiring to get a no objection certificate (NOC) to collect hides will have to submit a proper collection plan to the authorities.

The local administration has directed the organisations and seminaries to submit their applications with the deputy commissioner’s office of the respective districts for an NOC as no one will be allowed to collect hides without it.

According to the notification, the DC is bound to decide the application within three days and in case of rejection, the applicant can file a review with the same authority (DC) who will decide it in two days after which an appeal can be made to the commissioner.

The applicants will have to attach a plan of hide collection along with the details of collection points and the teams, comprising police, revenue and other departments’ officials, will monitor the collection process through videos of collection points.

The standard operation procedure (SOP) further says that the dealers and tanneries that would purchase the hides from organisations and seminaries are bound to make payment through banks and they will have to maintain the record of sale and purchase.

Gujrat DC Tauseef Dilshad Kathana, chairing a meeting of the officials concerned at his office, said only registered organisations could file the application along with the NOC of the last year whereas none of the banned religious outfits or the organisations with changed names could be granted permission. He warned of strict action against those who would ignore the government instructions.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2018