PESHAWAR, May 7: Taking serious notice of public complaints, NWFP Chief Secretary Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi has directed the concerned to come hard on illegal slaughterhouses and ensure slaughtering of animals at authorised places. In the light of these directives, the secretary agriculture held a meeting on Saturday which was attended by DCO Peshawar and other officials, an official handout said.

The meeting decided that for the time being butchers of town-III and town-IV should be allowed to use slaughterhouse of town-I and town-II. For his purpose the town municipal administrations would ensure use of lawful slaughterhouses by butchers.

It was also decided that the Tehsil Officer (Regulation), veterinary doctors and police officials would be asked to visit bazaars and bring to book those violating the law. The meeting decided that secretary local government would give recommendations and regulate their activities.

A long term planning was also discussed and concerned departments were ordered to ensure its implementation.

token strike: House job doctors working in the city’s three teaching hospitals continued their three-hour token strike for the second consecutive day on Saturday to press the authorities concerned for the acceptance of their demands.

About 600 house officers at the Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex had started the strike from 8am to 12noon on Friday.

Talking to reporters, the representatives of the protesting doctors complained that the government had announced an increase of Rs1,200 in their monthly stipend, but they were still being paid Rs5,000 instead of Rs6,200.

They said the hospital administration deducted Rs700 from each doctor’s salary as the air-conditioner charges at the hostels which, they demanded, should be withdrawn forthwith.

They said the government had not ensured payment of stipend to house officers of private hospitals though it had earlier agreed to do so.