Thousands of cattle are dying in the States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra due to a suspected outbreak of the dreaded “Foot-and-Mouth” disease. The suspected viral infection has taken on epidemic proportions.
All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has alleged that till date over 10,000 milch cattle have died and thousands are reported to be affected in Karnataka. Similar is the case in Tamil Nadu and in Kerala (especially in the districts of Palakkad and Kollam). Animal deaths are being reported in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra too.
The members blamed the concerned officials in the Animal Husbandry Department in the respective States for underplaying the seriousness of the endemic disease by falsifying figures of the dead animals.
It has demanded that the farmers be compensated on an immediate basis with at least `25,000 for the death of every milk giving cow or buffalo, `20,000 per oxen or bull and `10,000 must be given away for dead calf by the State Government with an equivalent amount from the Central Government.
This compensation can be given away from the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana funds for addressing the specific problems of farmers in distress, said the members. The AIKS has further demanded that the Central Government must recognise the disease as a serious epidemic and coordinate with the respective State Governments to ensure vaccination on a war-footing.