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Foot and mouth disease claims 432 cattle-head in Rajasthan

Kamla Bora in Jaipur

The deadly Foot and Mouth Disease, which is creating havoc in European countries, has attacked cattle-head in Rajasthan which is already facing drought and famine for third year in a row.

The disease, in an epidemic form, was first reported from Sangteda village in Jaipur district early this month, and has so far claimed lives of 432 cattle-head in four districts, official reports reaching the state headquarters in Jaipur says.

As many as 204 cattle-heads have perished in Jaipur district alone, followed by Alwar, Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts where the disease has claimed lives of 98, 97 and 33 livestock respectively.

Around 3,000 other cattle-head are currently suffering from the disease which causes blisters on the toes and mouth of milch animals, soon after which they die.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan government has geared up its animal husbandry department to fight the menace of the disease on a war footing. Worried over the situation, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot personally reviewed the situation at a high level officials' meeting in Jaipur on Monday.

An official spokesman in Jaipur said all veterinary clinics in the state had been alerted about the disease and an intensive drive has been launched to vaccinate the animals to control the disease.

The animal husbandry department has sent mobile teams of veterinary doctors to affected areas for providing treatment at the doorstep of villagers keeping animals. As many as 100 mobile teams have been constituted for the worst affected Jaipur district by the administration which has fixed a target of vaccinating one 10 million cattle-head before May.

According to officials, the disease entered Rajasthan areas probably from the neighbouring Haryana. This hypothesis is based on the fact that the disease was first reported from a stray form in Kotputli and Goneda villages in Alwar district neighbouring Haryana.

The disease is believed to have hit India through cattle imported from Britain.

Although Jaipur is the worst hit district in Rajasthan, the disease has not been reported from any part of the capital city where a large number of dairies flourish in residential areas, veterinary doctors say.

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