SENAPATI, January 31: Although the director of the State Animal and Husbandry department Dr Saidokhum Joute, yesterday in a press release said the news of cattle deaths in Senapati district was unfounded, villagers still claim an outbreak of cattle epidemic has claimed a large number of deaths.
Senapati based, The Herald Today, in a report shared with IFP once again contradicted the official claim saying there are reports of cattle deaths.
It said following the news report on the outbreak of mysterious disease that reportedly claimed over 300 cows and 200 buffaloes carried in The Herald Today on January 29, a State Vety Rapid Action Team led by Joint Director, Senapati, Dr.K.Gopal Singh, Vety & Animal Husbandry Services, Govt of Manipur rushed to Koide Biisho today to take stock of the situation where they reportedly interacted with the villagers.
While returning from the field, the Joint Director along with Dr.Ng.Ibotombi Singh, Principal Investigator & O/C Disease Investigation Laboratory, Directorate of Vety & A.H.Services, Govt of Manipur, Dy Director, Dr.J.Dorendrajit Singh,Specialist,R.P, Sanii Pao, Vety officer, Bonny Bernard and Vety Officer, M. Mohendro Singh, visited The Herald Today office at around 4 p.m, and shared that they have met Pukho of Lower Koide, Lemo of Upper Koide and Lao,Ex-Chairman of Thingba khullen at Koide Biisho, the Herald Today report said.
It further said the visiting officials were told that 10 calves of buffaloes and 20 cattle died in Koide village, and 20 cattle died in Thingba Khullen since first week of this January. The team members were not able to meet leaders of other villages affected who were attending the Poumai Naga People`™s Convention which was being held at Koide Zho, said the officials.
According the visiting Team, the villagers were provided anti-biotics for emergency use such as oxydetracycline, meloxicam, floridine, pot.permergament, terpentine oil, dicysticin, topicure and syrines, the report continued.
It also claimed the visiting team detected symptom of H.S .disease, a viral disease due to extreme cold in the areas. The villagers are therefore adviced to give timely vaccination to the cattle before it`™s too late. More medicines will be provided to the affected villagers in few days time. However, distribution and treatment will be done by experts for effective use, added the team.
It may be noted that the disease was reportedly widely spreaded in Koide, Thingba Khullen, Purul, Oinam, Keize and Reah villages since the beginning of this january posing threat to hundreds of farmers whose family income heavily rely on cattle in this local daily.