Packed to capacity, lone Chandigarh MC facility stops catching LSD-hit cattle amid rising infection

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, August 29

Cases of lumpy skin disease (LSD), a viral infection that affects livestock, seem to have overwhelmed authorities. With the lone Municipal Corporation-run cattlecare centre in Industrial Area, Phase-I, packed to capacity, the authorities have stopped catching more animals afflicted with the disease.

To make matters worse, the infection has spread to existing cattle in the facility despite claims of keeping the diseased animals in a separate enclosure.

The authorities have now sanctioned a temporary shed at the under-construction cattle pound in Raipur Kalan to shift the diseased cattle.

Additionally, there is only one cattle-catching team for the entire city. At the same time, the MC is grappling with the problem of herders in peripheral areas abandoning sick animals inside the UT.

“As per the norm, owners in borders areas of the UT leave cattle near Faidan village and other border points at night. The animals travel from Sectors 48, 47, 46, 45 and enter other southern sectors for grazing and are taken back in the morning. Road accidents are common due to this. There is a scare among residents these days as many of these animals are suffering from LSD,” said Kusum Ghai, a Sector 45 activist.

MC councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi lamented: “A number of animals are suffering owing to the disease, but these have been left to fend for themselves. Their owners have dumped them on city roads and the MC has failed to shift or treat them.”

Vineet Chauhan, president, Residents Welfare Association, Sector 61, rued: “Even those rearing cows in UT villages are abandoning sick animals on city roads. The Sector 52 open ground is full such animals. Also, people have kept cows illegally at Kacheri village. Many of them are sick and the MC has chosen to look the other way.”

Vinod Kumar, vice-president, Sector 45 gaushala, said: “There is no case in our facility, but we are getting a large number of calls from people about affected cows. The MC should launch a dedicated helpline.”

According to the MC, there are around 1,100 cows at its Industrial Area gaushala. Of the 164 animals with LSD, 134 have recovered after treatment and 30 are undergoing treatment.

“We are worried as the disease has spread to healthy cattle in the facility. We are awaiting additional space. Till that time, we have decided to treat animals in the field and not catch them,” said an official.

MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra said: “I have sanctioned space at the Raipur Kalan gaushala. Besides, we are going to form three rapid action teams that will be stationed at the borders. We will start registering FIRs against those caught leaving cows on the roads. We will also have two or three cattle-catching teams.”

One catching team for entire city

• n There is only one cattle-catching team for entire city. The authorties, however, say they will soon have in place two or three such teams
• n The MC is further grappling with the problem of herders in peripheral areas abandoning sick animals inside the UT

I have sanctioned space at Raipur Kalan gaushala. We will start filing FIRs against those leaving cows on roads. — Anindita Mitra, MC Chief

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