New Delhi:Amid the allegations of operating illegal selling of goats in Nehru Hill Park near Ramlila Maidan, the MCD on Saturday cancelled the permission to use the site allotted for Eid celebrations, an official order said. The move comes days after the civic body’s horticulture department had complained to Delhi police on May 12 and May 14 about the alleged illegal use of the park for buying and selling of goats.

In an official order issued on Saturday, the assistant director (Horticulture), City-SP Zone, said permission granted to a residents’ welfare association representative for use of the park from May 21 to May 27 stood “withdrawn/cancelled with immediate effect”.

The official order stated that “activities” were being carried out at the site in violation of the conditions of the permission granted.

“You are directed to vacate the site forthwith and remove all related activities/material from the premises immediately,” the order said, while seeking assistance from the IP Estate police station to ensure compliance.

The permission had reportedly been granted after payment of around Rs 1.07 lakh, Delhi BJP alleged.

According to the statement by the party, the issue has triggered protests from some local residents and BJP office bearers, who alleged that the allotment was being used to legitimise an illegal goat market at the public park located in the mixed-population locality around Mata Sundari Road and Minto Road.

A delegation led by Delhi BJP office bearer Amit Gupta met Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and demanded cancellation of the allotment, the statement read.

“There is no mention anywhere in the receipt about permission for a goat market. This is clearly a case of intimidating municipal officials and obtaining a receipt to legitimise an illegal activity,” Amit Gupta alleged in a statement.

He also claimed that no such goat market had been held at the park in the past several decades and questioned the allotment of a public park when the Delhi government had already stated that slaughtering of goats would not be allowed at public places.