Karachi: Low turnout at DHA slaughter camps

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Aisha Masood
The turnout of residents at the DHA slaughtering camps, which were jointly set up by the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC), remained quite low, The News has learnt. Owing to their reservations, most residents preferred slaughtering sacrificial animals at their residences rather than taking them to the DHA camps.

Although the camps were set up in commercial and densely-populated areas and the DHA administration had strongly recommended that the residents utilize the facility and slaughter animals at the camps, most residents did not avail the option.

A random survey revealed that since it was the first time the DHA had set up slaughtering camps, the residents were confused and felt insecure, and therefore did not take the risk of slaughtering animals anywhere other than at their own houses.

Taking the animals to the camps was another issue that prevented many from going for that option. A few said that they might have opted for the camps if conveyance was provided too. “The prices of animals, transportation and then the butcher’s fee did not allow me to even think of hiring transport for this purpose,” remarked one DHA resident.

Interestingly, some of the residents said they were afraid of meat theft. “The whole task takes hours and it would have been difficult for me to keep a constant eye till the butcher finishes his work,” responded Ashraf Khan, a resident of DHA Phase-II. He argued that at home one can leave the butcher and move around for a while and there are other family members to take care as well.

Another major factor of the camps’ failure was that most residents did not even know if there was any such arrangement on the part of the DHA. Many suggested that the authorities concerned should have publicised the plan in a better way. Although banners were placed at different places, people complained that it was too late to be noticed. Many had already made arrangements by the time the banners were placed.

It may be mentioned here that about 28 camps were set up in different phases of DHA where residents were invited to bring their sacrificial animals for the ritual. The DHA administrator had earlier announced that the designated venues would have all facilities to ensure the provision of a neat and hygienic environment.

The DHA had earlier considered hiring butchers for the convenience of residents. This did not work out, however, owing to financial restraints and the residents were supposed to arrange butchers as well as transport costs on their own. The administrator had claimed that the transport would not cost much since the camps would be set up not farther than one kilometer distance. While the administrator mentioned that it was not mandatory to perform the ritual at the DHA sites for this year, he had requested the residents to slaughter their animals at the camps.

Syed Naseemuddin, a member of the Defence Society of Residents Associations (DSRA), agreed that residents did not turn up to the camps. He believed, however, that the idea was constructive and would facilitate residents. “It always takes time for an authority to build up trust amongst its residents,” he remarked, adding that he believed that there would be queues at the slaughtering camps next year.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=151686