Vaccination of cattle was taken up on a big scale in Rajasthan to check the spread of lumpy skin disease among the bovine animals. The State government sanctioned ₹30 crore for the purchase of vaccines and medicines, while the contagious skin disease claimed the lives of 29,917 cattle heads till Wednesday.
Animal Husbandry Minister Lalchand Kataria said here on Wednesday that the vaccination exercise had been launched in a “mission mode” with a target set to cover 41 lakh bovine animals. Mr. Kataria said about 8 lakh vaccines had so far been arranged, while the death rate because of the disease was showing a declining trend.
According to the figures released by the Animal Husbandry Department, 7,03,629 animals in the State were infected by lumpy skin disease till Wednesday evening, while 6,49,913 were treated and 3,40,853 had recovered. The worst-affected districts were Jodhpur, Barmer, Sriganganagar, Bikaner and Nagaur. As many as 1,71,642 bovine animals in 19 districts of the State were vaccinated till Wednesday.
“Ring vaccination”
Mr. Kataria said the “ring vaccination” was being carried out in compliance with the Centre’s guidelines, starting from a periphery of four to five km from the infected areas and gradually shifting inwards with the help of Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation. “The bovine animals living in the infected areas are not being vaccinated,” he said.
The Minister said his department had submitted a proposal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for making an additional provision of ₹30 crore under the Pashudhan Nishulk Arogya Yojana for making arrangements for treatment of lumpy skin disease during the current financial year. Mr. Gehlot has given financial approval to the proposal.
The District Collectors would procure vaccines and medicines in the required quantity by utilising the funds. Mr. Kataria said the State government was working with sensitivity and seriousness to prevent the spread of the infectious disease. Decisions such as buying essential medicines without tender had already been taken, he added.
Filling up vacant posts
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan High Court issued notices on a public interest writ petition seeking directions to the State government to fill up the vacant posts of veterinary doctors and assistants. The petitioner, Mahesh Jhalani, said the lumpy skin disease had claimed the lives of thousands of animals because of lack of preparedness of the government functionaries and inadequate arrangements in veterinary hospitals.
