HYDERABAD, Jan: 15: The district Nazim on Wednesday ordered shifting of cattle farms/dairy houses and slaughter houses from the municipal areas to the newly-established Cattle Colony on the Tando Mohammad Khan road by March 31.

This was decided by the district Nazim, Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman, in a meeting held at the Shahbaz Hall.

Highlighting the facilities provided at the new cattle colony, Dr Rafiquzzaman said that roads, water supply, sewerage system, electricity had been provided to facilitate the slaughter houses and many cattle pen owners, with about 9,000 buffaloes, were already doing their business there.

He directed the taluka municipal officers to serve notices for shifting to the cattle colony by March 31, failing which strict action would be taken against defaulters under Section 144 CrPC.

The district Nazim said that out of the 952 plots of cattle colony, 612 plots have already been sold but many of the allottees had not taken over the possession of their plots.

Additionally, he said, 340 plots were still available for the cattle owners.

He, however, warned the allottees to take possession of their plots, failing which action would be taken against them.

He asked the taluka municipal officer (TMO), Latifabad, to provide proper facilities to the owners of plots at the cattle colony.

Referring to the slaughter house, the district Nazim said that possession of slaughter house would be handed over by the contractors in the first week of Feb 2003.

He added that the training of the staff would begin from Feb 22 and the slaughter house would become fully operative by March, 2003.

After that, he said, the slaughter houses functioning within the limits of municipal areas would be banned.

He also asked the taluka Nazims and taluka municipal officers to intimate the owners of illegal slaughter houses, functioning in their jurisdiction, to shift their business by March 31, so that citizens of Hyderabad, Latifabad and Qasimabad can be rescued from the menace of unhygienic conditions.

The District Coordination Officer, Hyderabad, Mir Hussain Ali assured the meeting that meat markets within the municipal areas would be repaired through their respective councils.

He directed the veterinary officers/inspectors to keep strict vigilance for provision of clean and healthy meat to the people.

Later, the district Nazim, along with the DCO, visited the new cattle colony to apprise themselves of the problems of cattle owners.

HELD: The regional police officer, Hyderabad, on Wednesday said that the Hyderabad district police have arrested three criminals and recovered a rifle, two revolvers as well as 15 bullets from their possession, while the Dadu police arrested two absconders, Mirpurkhas police arrested one criminal.