Lumpy Skin Disease: Maharashtra government pays Rs 20 crore to those whose cattle died in outbreak
The Maharashtra government has paid a compensation of Rs 20.12 crore to 7,909 cattle owners whose cattle died in the recent Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) outbreak, a statement issued by the animal husbandry department said.
Though the disease has been declining in the state, a total of 20,361 infected animals have died to date ever since the outbreak in September, the statement added.
Lumpy Skin Disease is a rapidly spreading infectious disease in livestock but it is curable if treated promptly. Till November 24, the disease has been reported in 3,741 epicentres in 34 districts in the state. Out of the 2,98,285 infected livestock, 2,19,657 livestock have recovered after treatment, the statement said.
Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh has now issued instructions to implement a ‘Majha Gotha, Swachh Gotha’ campaign to control the disease spread, especially as the state-level task force had found that both the practices of sending cattle for grazing in herds and taking them for watering at public watering facilities were also responsible for the spread of the disease.
In an official statement, Singh has also called for stepping up awareness among animal owners to stop both of these practices till Lumpy Skin Disease is brought under control. He has appealed to farmers and Gram Panchayats to follow the insect vector control, disinfection and isolation guidelines published by Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries Science University on October 7 this year in the form of a campaign.
The government and private veterinary practitioners should treat animals infected with Lumpy Skin Disease as per the revised protocol of Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries Science University dated October 17, he added.
Farmers have also been urged to avail free treatment and vaccinations for their affected cattle at their doorstep, by providing details of the disease symptoms to nearby government veterinary dispensaries. Instructions have also been issued that the vaccine should be administered on a mission mode to calves of cows not infected with LSD, calves of cows not vaccinated and the cattle class animals that have not been vaccinated yet.
Meanwhile, 138.47 lakh animals have been vaccinated for free. The state has completed 98.96% of the vaccination of cattle and 144.12 lakh vaccine doses have been made available to date.
Lumpy Skin Disease is a cutaneous viral disease of bovines that is not transmitted to human beings either from animals or through cow milk.
