Rajasthan CM asks Centre to declare Lumpy Skin Disease as ‘national calamity’

Addressing cattle owners, public representatives and gaushala caretakers through online mode, the chief minister assured that there is no shortage of medicines to deal with the problem.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan government has started vaccinating cattle against the contagious disease in four districts. Department of Animal Husbandry had placed an order for 10.7 lakh vaccines and received five lakh shots so far. A total of 26 lakh vaccines are needed to control the disease in the cattle.

Gehlot said he has written to the Centre that the problem be declared a national calamity and Union minister Parshottam Rupala has assured full cooperation to the state. The Rajasthan CM also said the animals dead with lumpy skin disease are being disposed of in a scientific manner so that the infection does not spread.

Control rooms have been set in all districts and public awareness campaigns are being conducted to deal with misconceptions in the public about the disease, he said.

State Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Lalchand Kataria said continuous monitoring of the situation is on in all districts for effective prevention of the disease.

He said saving cow is the government’s priority.

The minister said so far around 8 lakh cows have been infected, of which 7.40 lakh have been treated. The rate of infection is decreasing rapidly in western Rajasthan, Kataria said.

According to the Animal Husbandry Department, till now 34,243 cattle have died due to the disease in the state.

Earlier, Gehlot talked about heavy rainfall in the state and said food, shelter and other facilities were provided to people rendered homeless. Instructions have been given to deputy commissioners to assess the damage, he said.

The chief minister also directed the chief secretary to regularly monitor all arrangements, relief and rescue operations, and prepare a memorandum to be sent the Centre.