Punjab cancels Eid holidays for municipal staff

LAHORE: The Punjab Local Government Department has withdrawn Eidul Azha holidays for municipal employees and workers engaged under the Suthra Punjab Programme until the final day of the upcoming festival, as authorities step up arrangements for cattle markets, sanitation and waste disposal across the province.

The decision came during a meeting chaired by Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique to review preparations for Eid and approve operational guidelines for the occasion.

According to the department, temporary cattle sale points throughout Punjab will be fully functional by Sunday. It also said no charges will be collected for the purchase or sale of sacrificial animals this year, continuing the provincial government’s policy followed in previous years.

Zeeshan Rafique said the Punjab Cattle Market Management Company, working with municipal committees, would set up designated animal sale points in all cities. He said illegal cattle markets and roadside animal trading would not be permitted.

The minister directed monitoring teams using vehicles to maintain round-the-clock surveillance in all cities. He also ordered public awareness measures, including announcements through loudspeakers mounted on rickshaws and banners at important locations, to help guide residents to the approved sale points.

He warned that strict action would be taken against anyone found selling animals outside officially designated locations.

Waste disposal and public awareness measures

On sanitation arrangements, the minister instructed authorities to provide eco-friendly bags to households carrying out sacrificial slaughter after conducting surveys, and to set up awareness camps in all union councils to ensure transparent distribution.

For disposal of animal waste, he said offal should be buried locally in rural areas wherever possible. In urban centres, he directed that waste be placed in designated pits or transported to dumping sites. He also instructed officials to use green cloth to identify offal collection points.

The minister said the chief minister had approved additional resources for Eid arrangements and stressed that these should be used effectively. He further ordered immediate action on complaints received at central and district control rooms and called for special attention to collective sacrifice sites so that waste could be removed on time.

He also warned that penalties would be imposed on those throwing offal on roads or into drains.

Coordination with local bodies

Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian said municipal committees and Suthra Punjab agencies would work in close coordination during the Eid period.

He reiterated that no temporary sale point would be allowed unless it had been notified by deputy commissioners. He also directed that all necessary facilities, including parking and water, must be available at every approved site.

The measures form part of the provincial government’s Eidul Azha management plan aimed at regulating cattle sales and ensuring timely cleanliness operations during the holiday period.