Istanbul Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Ahmet Yavuz Karaca stated that they intensified their inspections before the entrance to the city for qurban animals would start on June 13, and that an administrative fine was imposed on the owners of illegally caught animals.
Speaking about the works they carried out in the city with a few days before the Eid al-Adha, Karaca said that the preparations for the eid in Turkey started with the publication of the Communique on Qurban Services.
Explaining that the Provincial Qurban Services Commission was established and the first meeting was held by the Governorship of Istanbul after the communiqué was published, Karaca said that the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry is also a commission member.
Pointing out that the decision of the Animal Health Police Commission was also taken, Karaca emphasized that in line with the decisions taken here, animal entries to Istanbul will begin as of June 13, and that there will be no animal entries to the qurban markets in the city before.
DOCUMENTS OF ANIMALS ARE EXAMINED AT CHECK POINTS
Karaca noted that they have established checkpoints at the entrances to the city at the entrance to the city, especially the Riva Livestock Dispatch Control Point, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and Şile, Büyükçekmece and Silivri in order to control the qurbans.
Karaca stated that the European side of Istanbul and the Thrace Region were free from foot-and-mouth disease as of 2010, adding that animals with certain conditions and blood analyzes can enter here, and that this is the reason why they inspect the animals.
Pointing out that they intensified the controls related to this issue mostly in Riva, Karaca said, "We conduct inspections 24/7, 365 days a year, but we have intensified our inspections for the last week, as animal movements at Riva Animal Dispatch Control Point increased during the Eid al-Adha period. So far, approximately 100 cattle have been caught illegally in 6 trucks. Administrative fines were imposed on them. They both arrived before the appointed date and were caught crossing illegally."