FAISALABAD, Dec 15: The district government has suspended its decision to allocate the Veterinary Hospital site for setting up offices of the Tehsil Municipal Administration (Sadar) after the provincial government’s interference.

Source in the district government said here on Sunday that the Punjab Board of Revenue took a serious notice on the complaint of the provincial Livestock Department.

The district government a couple of months ago had decided to allot a precious piece of land of the Veterinary Hospital on Liaquat Road to the TMA Sadar on some nominal rent for the construction of a multi-storey plaza as well as offices of the TMA.

The district government opined that the Veterinary Hospital was not beneficial for the people after driving out animals from the city by the defunct Faisalabad Municipal Corporation.

Taking a serious note, the Livestock Department termed the district government decision illegal and beyond jurisdiction.

Livestock Department Additional Secretary Bashir Ahmed Chaudhry in a letter communicated to the DCO had pointed out that the land of the department could not be used or allotted by the district government and the decision in this regard should be withdrawn immediately.

He said the site was under the use of the Veterinary Hospital and its related offices like the District Veterinary Hospital, Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, SPCA offices, Deputy Livestock Officer, Livestock Development Committee Chairman, Semen/Liquid Nitrogen Gas Supply Centre, Stores of medicines and vaccines.

According to the BoR instructions and the provincial cabinet decision, he said the land leased out or reserved for veterinary purposes could not be utilized for other purposes without prior permission of the BoR.

The Pakistan Veterinary Medical Association had also opposed the move of the district government and threatened to launch a protest movement if the decision was not withdrawn.

The PVMA alleged that the district government failed to provide funds for the veterinary sector and now it had planned to grab the precious land earmarked for the veterinary hospital.

The local District Livestock Officer in an SOS call to the DCO raised a number of objections over the shifting of the veterinary hospital and requested that the hospital and its allied units should not be shifted to anywhere.

In a recent meeting of the District Mushavirat Committee held here under the chairmanship of District Nazim Zahid Nazir, it was observed that the previous decision should be withdrawn in the light of instructions received from various government officials.

The DCO in a letter communicated to tehsil Nazims and other concerns stated that the operation of orders regarding allotment of the Veterinary Hospital site to TMA Sadar for establishment of its offices were suspended in pursuance of government instructions.

The meeting of the DMC after a lengthy discussion also reached a conclusion that the EDO (Revenue) should indicate some other site for the establishment of TMA Sadar offices.

It may be mentioned that over a dozen shops and offices had already been operating on the front side of the Veterinary Hospital which were set up by the defunct Zila Council.