Jaipur, April 9 (PTI): It may soon be the end of the road for the weekly cattle market in Hatwara area here following a drop in footfalls and earnings after the deadly attack on aman on his way home from the dusty market teeming withbovines.
Nearly a week after Pehlu Khan was attacked by cow vigilantes in Alwar while on his way home after purchasing cattle at Ramgarh, it is not business as usual at the cattle fair held every Saturday.
Jaipur Municipal Corporation sources say that cattle market used to do business worth Rs 2 to 2.5 crore every week but it has come now down by more than 50 per cent following the lynching of Pehlu Khan.
The cattle market has also witnessed a dip in footfall, leading to resentment among traders.
The Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) is now mulling to stop holding the weekly cattle market in Hatwara area.
The Jaipur Mayor has tasked his deputy commissioner to give a thorough report before making a final call on stopping the weekly cattle market.
"The receipts that were found from cattle transporters in Alwar revealed that the cattle were purchased from Hatwara. We have also found that the cattle market serves people from outside the state including those from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana. We will soon decide whether to run the market or not," Mayor Ashok Lahoti said.
Lahoti said as people from outside the state buy and sellbovines at Hatwara it is difficult to keep a check on activities that don't fall under municipal limits.
"In such a scenario, it is not viable to hold the cattle market which once served as a platform for local residents to fix deals of bovines," he said.
The JMC issues permit to cattle traders who transport them from the market. However, for transport outside the state traders require permission from the district collectorate.
"Sub-divisional magistrate have been authorised to issue permits to traders who transport cattle outside Rajasthan," said Collector Siddharth Mahajan.
