HYDERABAD, Nov 14: Irregular cattle bazaars have sprung up in different parts of the city in a bid to avoid local taxes. The owners of farms in Paretabad, Mir Nabi town and Rehman towns where cattle are raised specially for Eidul Azha have turned the trade into a colourful event. They decorate their animals and keep them neat and clean to attract buyers.

“If we have to sell our animal, say for Rs70,000 we'll start with Rs130,000,” said a cattle breeder of Phulelli.

Traders who want to avoid paying entry fee in cattle markets organised by the administration come to roadside bazaars inside the city.

They said that the recent blast at the CID building in Karachi had affected the movement of animals from the interior to Karachi and their number had dropped considerably. They, however, expected the sale of sacrificial animals to pick up soon.

“According to our contacts in Karachi, block sale of big animals has dropped over the past two days following the blast and Hyderabad market may also face a similar trend,” said Latif Qureshi, secretary general of Tajran-i-Maweshian Welfare Association (TMWA).

The sale normally picks up on the 7th of Zilhuj but this time it is not happening.

He said that buyers usually did 'window shopping' in the main cattle market to assess price trend and then try their luck in the irregular markets in Phulelli or elsewhere.

Mr Irfan Qureshi, contractor of the main cattle market said: “So far traders have received fair deals.”

TMWA president Baloch Khan Lashari said there would be no shortage of cattle in the main market. Goats from the interior of Sindh were yet to reach Hyderabads cattle market.

The administration and organisers have not made any arrangements for fumigation or anti-Congo virus spray in the three main cattle bazaars in the district although health experts have warned of an outbreak of the disease.

Besides the main cattle market organised by the City Taluka Municipal Administration, Latifabad's TMA and Cantonment Board Hyderabad (CBH) have also set up markets but so far there has been no fumigation.

Hyderabad DCO Aftab Ahmed Khatri said that the EDO (agriculture) had been asked to ensure availability of veterinary doctor at the main cattle market and other bazaars to check animals.

The City TMA provides labourers and fuel to the EDO (health) to carry out fumigation.

Administrator TMA city Fakhir Shakir said that no directive had been communicated to the TMA about fumigation in the cattle market.