E-Paper
Lumpy skin disease: Over 66k goat pox vaccine doses received: Min Laljit Bhullar
Cabinet minister Laljit Bhullar said that the goat pox vaccine, which was especially ordered from Hyderabad, has already been sent to all the districts of the state
The Punjab government has received 66,666 doses of goat pox vaccine from Hyderabad, which will be administered free of cost to healthy livestock to contain the spread of the deadly lumpy skin disease, animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said on Sunday.
The disease, caused by a virus called Capripoxvirus, has left 160 cattle dead and infected 12,000 others in the state. According to the database of the state animal husbandry department, an average of 400 cases of the disease were reported every day from various districts till August 4.
Bhullar was on a visit to the villages of Khemkaran constituency and took stock of the situation at Manakpura village, Gill dairy farm, Madhi Bohad Wali, Mather village and Gill Dairy Farm, Bhandal village and Sandhu dairy farm, Baharwal.
The cabinet minister said that this vaccine, which was especially ordered from Hyderabad, has already been sent to all the districts of the state and doctors have started administering the vaccine to the healthy cattle free of cost.
He said that chief minister Bhagwant Mann-led government was taking all necessary steps to prevent the spread of the disease. The department officials are constantly in touch with the authorities to order more vaccine so as to ensure no shortage of equipment and vaccine, he said.
He said that the government has released an amount of ₹ 76 lakh to all the districts so far and veterinary officers have also been deputed in the districts to help the field staff.
This disease is spreading especially in cattle and many districts of the state have been affected so far, said the minister, urging livestock farmers that if an animal dies, the carcass should not be thrown in the open, but it should be buried to stop the spread of the disease and farmers should not buy cattle from other states for the time being to prevent the spread of the disease.
