JORHAT, Aug 11 - Lack of basic veterinary service in many flood-hit villages of west Jorhat has brought misery to several farming families as their cattle continue to perish due to different diseases that have broken out after the recent flood.
Several poor families alleged that no veterinary officer or field assistant of the State Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department has visited the Gorumora Koibatra Gaon Veterinary Sub-Centre to provide treatment to ailing cows, calves and heifers.
�This is the only veterinary sub-centre for more than five villages. No veterinary field assistant is available at the sub-centre. There are also no medicines. The field assistant who had been posted here was transferred to another veterinary sub-centre in the district a year back,� said a retired teacher of Namgorumora village, Ghanakanta Borbora.
His neighbour, Probin Chandra Borbora, said that cows and buffaloes continue to die after the flood as no treatment has been provided by veterinary personnel.
Makhan Bora of the adjoining Ganakbari village said that at least 30 heads of cattle and buffalo calves died due to lack of veterinary treatment.
�Two bullocks belonging to my family died a few days back. Though I tried to call a veterinary officer, no official was available at the sub-centre. More than 30 heifers and calves died recently without getting any treatment at Namgorumora, Gorumora, Ganakbari and other nearby villages,� said Bora.
Though cattle rearing is the only occupation for hundreds of families in several west Jorhat villages, no representative of the ruling party or the Opposition, or any government officer, has visited the area to take stock of the situation. Villagers said that most ailing cows and calves have developed symptoms of diarrhoea.
Only a chowkidar is available at the veterinary sub-centre located at Gorumora Koibatra Gaon. No animal medicines are in stock. The chowkidar, who has been working there for the last 27 years, stated that no field assistant had come to the sub-centre since the last one year.
According to official data, there are 27 veterinary officers and 68 veterinary field assistants posted at different veterinary dispensaries, block veterinary dispensaries and 42 sub-centres. Asked why no field assistant has been appointed at the Gorumora Koibatra Gaon Veterinary Sub-Centre even in this period of crisis, district-level officers said that most veterinary assistants of Jorhat have been sent to Majuli to treat ailing cows.
�We will be able to send a field assistant to the sub-centre after August 15. As top officials have instructed us to send the majority of the field assistants to Majuli, we have no manpower available for the sub-centre at Gorumora. Besides, most veterinary field assistants have been engaged by the administration in the distribution of fodder among the Majuli farmers, which is not part of their official duties,� said a veterinary officer here.
He added that mobile veterinary camps were set up during the flood at Gorumora and its nearby areas in west Jorhat to check the deaths of cattle, goats and other livestock.
Meanwhile, urging the district administration to deploy veterinary field assistants and officers in their respective areas, flood-affected villagers of west Jorhat said that if they do not get the minimum veterinary service during this period of crisis, more animals would perish in the days to come.
