The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is planning to set up livestock examination centres at major entry points of Kathmandu Valley ahead of the Dashain festival, when there is a surge in sale and consumption of meat, particularly of goats, chyangra (mountain goats) and sheep.

The KMC, in association with the Kathmandu District Livestock Service Office, Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) and Nepal Agricultural Council, will start the screening from September 18 from the centres that will be established at Thankot, Pharping and Bhaktapur.

“Sick and infected livestock will be discarded. They won’t be allowed inside the Valley,” said Gyanendra Karki, spokesperson at the KMC.

Besides, Karki added, veterinarians, KMC officials and police personnel will also be deployed to livestock markets and slaughterhouses for inspection.

Animals that have been approved will bear green marking while the infirm ones will be marked red, which could be easily spotted by customers.

Red markings, however, does not mean they should not be consumed.

Hari Bahadur Khadka, the chief of Public Health Department at the KMC, said the goats and sheep with red markings can be consumed once the 24-hour observation period after treatment has completed. 

“Our aim is to make distinction between healthy and non-healthy livestock, to ensure public health protection,” said Hari Bahadur Khadka, the public health department chief at the KMC.

Around 50,000 goats and sheep are expected to enter the Valley for this year’s Dashain.