Srinagar, Nov 26:  The Mayor, Salman Ali Sagar, on Thursday visited the Shahr-e-Khaas shrines to review Eid-eve arrangements and appealed the Masjid Imans to preach abstention from polythene use on Qurbani packing.
 Accompanied by a team of senior SMC officials, Sagar visited Shah-e-Hamdaan(RA), Dastgeer Sahib (RA) and Sir Mansoor Sahib (RA) and some other shrines.
 Apart from reviewing the sanitation, he met several Imams appealing them to raise the issue of polythene ban during their Friday sermons.
 “Qurbani meat is sacred and I think we should refrain from using polythene in its packing for distribution the precious gift,” Sagar told the Imams.
 “When it’s known that polythene is harmful for environment, it won’t be proper to use it for Qurbani,” he added.
 When contacted, the Mayor said he wanted to take the clerics into confidence for they play a   “significant role in shaping public opinion.”
 “When in the past we could do without polythene, why we now want to be so dependant on it?” he argued.
 Meanwhile, the Mayor directed the SMC team to get the footpath encroachments removed from areas like Batmaloo-Dalgate track and Baba Demb. He, however, is learnt to have given relaxation till Eid-ul-Azha.
 The Mayor was accompanied by Health Officer, Dr  Reyaz Ahmed.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 IST