Lumpy skin disease: 2L cows to get vaccination shots in 3 days in Punjab

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Chandigarh, August 23

The Group of Ministers (GoM), formed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to tackle the lumpy skin disease (LSD), today directed officials of the Animal Husbandry Department to vaccinate two lakh cows in gaushalas within three days.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Animal Husbandry Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar directed that the vaccination should be held on a war footing.

Asking to vaccinate 50,000 cattle daily, the Cabinet ministers said: “We have to strictly deal with this calamity. And, the lackadaisical approach in the ongoing prevention work will not be tolerated.”

They instructed to issue show-cause notices to the employees performing poorly, saying that all holidays of the staffers should be cancelled to ensure timely treatment of the animals. They also asked to use the generic medicines as per the requirement.

While reviewing the ongoing operations to prevent “African swine fever”, the ministers said the guidelines of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009, should be implemented and the movement of pigs should be banned.

Principal Secretary Vikas Pratap apprised the ministers that the Animal Husbandry Department has received 6.86 lakh doses of goatpox vaccine. He said over 3.31 lakh cattle had been vaccinated, while more than 3.54 lakh doses of goatpox vaccine were available with the department.

Pratap said 1,08,958 animals were suspected to be infected with the LSD, of which 64,475 animals had been cured.

He said the department had received Rs 1 crore from the Rural Development Fund to purchase the medicine. To shun the practice of throwing carcasses in the open, the standard operating procedures had been issued, said Pratap, adding that besides deploying 179 veterinary interns and para-veterinary students, school students were also roped in to create awareness among the livestock farmers.

179 interns deployed

1.8L cattle suspected to be infected

64,475 head of cattle cured

3.31L cows vaccinated

6.86L doses of goatpox vaccine received

3.54L doses still available