Millions of cattle head displaced during rains: minister

The Sindh Minister for Livestock Abid Hussain Jatoi has said that millions of cattle head have been displaced and 12,299 cattle have been died during the prevailing monsoon session. He said that such a large-scale displacement of animals has not been made in the history of last hundred years. This, he observed, while talking to the journalists here at Hyderabad on Tuesday.
He said that his department had prepared contingency plan to meet the situation and under which as many as 269 Veterinary Relief Camps and 45 Mobile Veterinary Relief Camps have been engaged to provide treatment to the animals in 23 rain affected districts in Sindh since August 12, 2011. He said that as many as 1554671 animals have been provided treatment in 23 districts till September 11, 2011.
He said that cattle of Mirpurkhas district were more affected where 283224 cattle head have been provided treatments, while 249917 cattle in Tharparkar, 200359 cattle in Badin and 138609 animals in Khairpur district were provided treatment by the Livestock Department.
Responding a question about death toll of animals, the Sindh Minister for Livestock informed that though survey was in progress but according to the reports received till September 11, 2011 a total loss of 12299 animals have been reported during the current monsoon session. He said that Tharparkar was the worst affected district where 6347 cattle have been died and Badin remained on second number where loss of 2941 animals have been reported, while 2370 animals were died in Mirpurkhas district.
The Sindh Minister also appealed the sister organisations working within the country or abroad to come forward and help in rescue and relief operation to save the animals in the rain affected areas, as cattle where only source of income of the poor farmers/breeders. He said that all Veterinary units working in rain affected areas have been fully equipped with all required facilities and these teams would remain in the rain affected areas till the situation become normal. However, he advised the breeders to take care of their animals, keep them high places and immediately contact with the nearest Veterinary units in case of their animal fallen in disease.