Horse market disallowed in Muktsar village, breeders stare at losses

Archit Watts

Muktsar, October 24

The decision to ban horse market during the Dasehra festival at Lambi Dhabh village here due to glanders disease has not gone down well with horse breeders. A large number of horses from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir came here in this nearly seven-day long event.

Some horse breeders said the government on the one hand was trying to promote animal husbandry but on the other hand it had stopped horse market for the past about four months.

“Neither a horse can come to our state, nor can our horse go to any other state. The situation should be reviewed and horse market should be allowed. Last year, above 250 horses were sold in the horse market during Dasehra. However, this year, the market will not be held. Muktsar is famous among animal lovers for its two horse markets – one is held during Dasehra and the other during Maghi Mela in January,” said Sirbeerinder Singh Sidhu, a horse breeder from Muktsar. He said, “The state government last year did not organise annual livestock championship, thus we, a group of 21-members, organised the Punjab Horse Show here.”

Dr Gurditt Singh Aulakh, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Muktsar, said, “Due to the glanders disease, there is a ban on organising horse markets. We have even written to the district administration that the annual horse market should not be allowed during the festival this year. Once the virus is confirmed, there is no option but to kill the horse. Further, it has a nature of transmitting to humans as well.”

Dr Sangeeta Toor, Director, Animal Husbandry Department, said, “Eights cases of glanders disease have been reported in various districts. The permission to hold a horse market can’t be given.”