In April, Union Social Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi had asked Roopnagar District Magistrate Kulbir Singh Sidhu to take steps to regulate the `pashu mandi' at Kharar. She had urged him to issue directions to either regulate the number of animals that were brought here and provide proper sheds for them or else close down the mandi. She said the mandi violated the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

Sidhu consequently asked the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) to take necessary steps in this regard. Following this, the ADC (Development) directed the DDPO to take immediate steps to regulate the `pashu mandi. It is believed to be the biggest illegal export centre for cattle in Punjab from where about 20 truckloads are sent daily to slaughterhouses in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Roopnagar District Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has criticised the DDPO's action in turning down the directions. SPCA president Chetan Aggarwal and general secretary Mohinder Kumar Jain termed the report submitted by the DDPO as totally false and baseless.