SIALKOT, Jan 04: The district government has allegedly failed to control the rising meat prices due to 'acute shortage' of animals.
Various social and political circles are of the view that the district government has failed in chalking out some effective strategy to overcome the problem.
They said the Eidul Azha was approaching and the situation seemed to have become out of control of the government. At present, butchers are reportedly selling mutton at Rs210 to Rs230 per kg instead of fixed official rate of Rs130, beef at Rs125 against Rs70 per kg, chicken at Rs115 to Rs125 per kg instead of Rs65 and eggs at Rs50 to 52 per dozen.
Consumers have complained that butchers are directly or indirectly involved in the price-hike. They have urged the government to take stock of the situation and bring down the meat prices.
A number of butchers told the correspondent that they were forced to increase the rates due to shortage of animals in the markets. They claimed that traders were exporting animals to Afghanistan and the UAE. When contacted, a district government spokesman refused to comment in this regard.
PROTEST: People from 85 bordering villages of Bajwat area have strongly protested against the inordinate delay in starting construction work on the bridge over Tavi River by the departments concerned.
The protesters told the press here on Monday that the project had been 'politicized' by local politicians for their personal gains. The bordering villages fall in the constituencies of National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Ameer Hussain and Punjab Industries Minister Muhammad Ajmal Cheema.
The villagers said both the elected representatives had laid the foundation stone of the bridge worth Rs160 million about six months ago, but the authorities concerned had not started the construction work.
They alleged that the reason behind the delay was differences among the local politicians who had politicized the grand project. The villagers have urged Chaudhry Ameer Hussain and Muhammad Ajmal Cheema to take notice of the delay in this regard.