December 13, 2002	Friday	Shawwal 8, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The capital territory administration has decided in principle to herd all buffaloes and cows present in the capital towards Rawalpindi.

The decision was taken in a joint meeting of the district administration and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) held on Thursday. However, before the step is taken, “the Rawalpindi administration will be asked to provide necessary facilities to the milkmen at proposed colonies for them to resolve the issue,” a CDA spokesman said.

The meeting, presided over by the chief commissioner, was informed that some 50,000 buffaloes were present in the capital. It was further said after removal of cattle pens from Rawalpindi, milkmen shifted their animals to the capital and established their pens at various places, like Khanna Bridge, Tarlai etc.

The meeting was informed that Rawalpindi administration had offered three places — Baghan Sheikhan, Fateh Jang and Adiala Road — to the milkmen to shift their cattle pens. However, no basic facility was provided at these places.

The CDA spokesman said most of the buffaloes had been brought into the capital limits after a grand operation was conducted against cattle pens by the Rawalpindi district administration, few months ago.

The interior ministry, he said, had already directed the ICT administration and the CDA to stop entry of buffaloes in the city.

The spokesman said the staff of the municipal administration and enforcement of the CDA had already removed hundreds of buffaloes and cows from the capital. These animals had been brought into the city from different areas like I-J Principal Road, Khayaban-i-Sir Syed, Khanna Bridge, Tarlai, Shakrial, etc. However, hundreds of animals are still present in the city.

The staff of the Environment Protection Cell (EPC) of the CDA has also been directed to check entry of cattle into Islamabad, a source said.

Last year, the EPC collected Rs47,000 in terms of fine collected at the spot from the cattle owners for bringing their animals into the capital.

According to an official report, over 5,000 cattle pens are located in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.