The “grand operation” for sealing the buffalo dens situated in the area of cantonment fizzled out after officials of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) succumbed to pressure from influential and political figures.
Earlier, Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) had cleared its areas from buffaloes, but that caused immense difficulties not only for the owners but also for the citizens. As a result, the milk prices went up and its quality deteriorated. The Rawalpindi city and Islamabad suffered a lot, as urea mixed milk had started coming to the twin cities affecting the health of the citizens. This was because the RMC had failed to provide alternate space to the buffalo owners near the city and they were forced to move out of the city.
Now the same exercise is being carried out by the RCB, but it would be to the detriment of the owners and the citizens.
On the other hand, RCB officials say that the buffalo dens located in the areas of Allahbad, Naseerabad, Ilyas Colony, Saham, Muhalla Zameendaran, Dhok Mustaqeem, Misrial, Dhok Gujran, Chohar Hadpal, Range Road, Peoples Colony, Adra, Bakra Mandi, Dhok Syedan, Dhok Chaudhrian, Azizabad, Gawalmandi and Habib Colony are a threat to the environment and cleanliness of the surrounding area.
RCB Spokesperson Qaiser Mehmood said: “A committee has been constituted to remove the buffalo dens present in the areas of the cantonment. The services of the district government are also hired to launch a joint operation against the buffalo dens.”