Lumpy skin disease: Cow carcasses pile up in Faridkot villages

Tribune News Service

Balwant Garg

Faridkot, August 10

Stench of rotting carcasses of dead cows affected by lumpy skin disease have added to the woes of villagers in Faridkot district.

In Bargari village, carcasses of four cows are lying in the open at a dumping site for the last four days after the residents near the dumping site opposed their unloading. “We are trying to control the stench by pouring quicklime on the carcasses. These will be buried soon,” said village sarpanch Preet Bhaluria.

Similarly, unbearable stench of nine rotting carcasses in a gaushala at Golewala village of Faridkot is making the life of nearby residents difficult for the last three days. The gaushala houses about 525 cows and nine died of the disease but there is no lifting or burial of the dead animals.

Looked after by the district administration, the gaushala has 11 employees, who have not received their salaries for the last five months.

Faridkot SDM Baljit Kaur, the administrator of the gaushala, said despite repeated reminders, she had not received any fund from the Rural Development and Animal Husbandry Department.

Sandeep Gupta, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department in Faridkot, said the situation was under control. He claimed that there were only 39 deaths due to the disease in the area. “Our teams are working on ground level to provide help,” he said.

However, defying the claims, Jalour Singh of Baggeana village said he had lost his four cows in the last seven days. “Money from milk of these cows was the main source of income in my family,” he said.

Earlier, carcasses were skinned by professionals and it was sold to the leather industry, earning about Rs 500 per animal. But as the disease-affected animals develop lesions with scabs, ulcers and scars, so there is no demand for this ‘perforated’ skin in the industry, discouraging the lifting of dead animals.

Lifting hit due to ‘perforated’ skin

Earlier, carcasses were skinned by professionals and it was sold in the leather industry, earning about Rs 500 per animal. But as lumpy skin disease-affected animals develop lesions with scabs, ulcers and scars, there is no demand for this ‘perforated’ skin in the industry, discouraging the lifting of dead animals.

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