Punjab unveils Eid cleanliness plan as cattle markets get unprecedented facilities, security

• Azma Bokhari announces Eidul Azha cleanliness drive, highlighting use rose water, lime and phenyl to ensure hygiene standards

• Rs50,000 penalty announced for dumping animal remains in drains, canals, vacant plots

• 184,000 sanitation workers to remain active from Chand Raat till fourth day of Eid

 LAHORE: Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari on Saturday announced sweeping Eidul Azha arrangements across Punjab under the supervision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, including a Rs50,000 fine for dumping animal waste in vacant plots, drains and canals, while unveiling a province-wide sanitation operation involving 184,000 workers from the night before Eid until the fourth day of the festival.

Addressing a press conference at the Punjab DGPR office alongside Provincial Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafiq, Azma Bokhari said preparations for cattle markets and Eid cleanliness operations had been initiated weeks in advance to ensure smooth arrangements for citizens and traders.

She said all cattle markets across Punjab had been established only at designated and approved locations, while illegal markets had not been allowed to operate. She added that extraordinary cleanliness measures had been put in place to provide a hygienic and comfortable environment at cattle markets throughout the province.

Calling “Suthra Punjab” a flagship initiative of the provincial government, Azma Bokhari said the cleanliness programme was now gaining recognition not only nationally but internationally as well, with other provinces expressing interest in replicating the model.

She said district administrations, police and relevant agencies were fully active on the ground to ensure security, facilitation and public service at cattle markets, adding that state-of-the-art facilities and effective security mechanisms had significantly reduced incidents of fraud and theft that had traditionally been reported during Eid cattle trading.

Highlighting new sanitation initiatives introduced this year, the minister said rose water and lime would be used extensively to maintain hygiene, freshness and odor control in public spaces. She added that mosques and imambargahs were also being washed with rose water to improve cleanliness and the overall environment during Eid days.

288 cattle sale points established across Punjab under PCMMDC

Provincial Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafiq said that on the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Eid arrangements this year had been improved further compared to previous years.

He said 288 cattle sale points had been established across Punjab under the Punjab Cattle Market Management and Development Company (PCMMDC), where traders were being provided free facilities at most designated sites. No animal sale outside approved locations would be permitted, he added.

Zeeshan Rafiq said additional resources had been allocated for Eidul Azha cleanliness operations, with 7,000 waste collection points, enclosures and trenches established across Punjab for proper disposal of animal remains.

Under the “Suthra Punjab” initiative, he said, special sanitation squads equipped with loudspeaker-fitted loaders would visit neighborhoods to collect waste directly from citizens. He urged the public not to dump animal remains in vacant plots, drains or canals, warning that violations could lead to fines of up to Rs50,000.

The minister said the grand cleanliness operation would begin a night before Eid, covering mosques, Eidgahs and sacrificial sites across the province. A total of 184,000 sanitation workers would participate in the drive, which would continue until the fourth day of Eid.

He added that monitoring would also be carried out through Safe City cameras and boat surveillance in Lahore canal areas to ensure effective waste disposal and cleanliness management.

According to Zeeshan Rafiq, more than 20 million kilograms of lime, 150,000 liters of phenyl and 40,000 liters of rose water would be used during the operation to control odor and improve sanitation conditions. In addition, 4,500 Eid operation camps would be established across Punjab, while 12 million eco-friendly bags would be distributed among citizens.

Serious Governance and Corruption Allegations emerging from KP

Responding to media questions, Azma Bokhari criticized what she described as a selective approach to accountability, saying that those claiming to champion freedom of speech often remained silent over serious governance and corruption allegations emerging from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

She said reports of large-scale financial irregularities in the province required answers and stressed that accountability should be applied uniformly across all provinces without double standards.

The minister also urged media organizations to maintain balance and consistency while reporting on governance issues.

Emphasizing that cleanliness during Eid was a shared responsibility, Azma Bokhari urged citizens not to litter and to fully cooperate with sanitation staff. She paid tribute to sanitation workers, describing them as the “real heroes” who continue serving the public even during Eid holidays.

She added that immediate action was taken whenever negligence was reported and legal proceedings had been initiated in cases where required.

The minister concluded by saying that the government had already provided collection bags and designated disposal points, adding that if citizens cooperated with the administration, there would be no sanitation issues or fines during Eidul Azha.