Epidemic diseases affecting livestock in Mirpurkhas

MIRPURKHAS: Cattle heads in Mirpurkhas district are dying due to pandemic diseases on almost daily basis. Many veterinary hospitals of the district are non-functional while the hospital staff continues to receive salaries. According to the details, cattle heads are suffering from different diseases and due negligence of officers of livestock and veterinary departments are causing these deaths.

The epidemic diseases include dysentery, stomach ache and lungs disorder. Affected animals of these diseases die within 24-hours. According to the sources, there are 53 veterinary centers in Mirpurkhas but most of them are either non-functional or completely closed. These hospitals receive billion rupees of funds but the facilities to cure animals are unavailable. The staffs of these hospitals are involved in the misappropriation of funds and have subsequently opened up their private clinics. Further, the staff is being paid while sitting at home without having to perform their duties.

Residents of the area, Ali Nawaz Marri, Ayoub Rind and Krishan Kolhi said that five buffaloes, 15 goats, six oxen and other cattle heads have already died in the area due to these infectious diseases. The death of the cattle heads is causing loss of millions of rupees to local growers. The residents of the area have requested the concerned authorities of government to take notice of the issue. However, Deputy Director Veterinary Department, Tikam Das, when contacted said that, “Vaccines and medicines were available in a huge quantity but we have not received any compliant of the epidemic diseases.”