The Group of Ministers (GoM) formed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to closely monitor the situation and take necessary steps to contain Lumpy Skin disease (LSD) in Punjab, on Tuesday directed officials of the Animal Husbandry Department to vaccinate all the bovine in Gaushalas within three days.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Animal Husbandry Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar directed the department to ensure the target of vaccinating 50,000 cattle per day.

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“We have to strictly deal with this calamity. And, the lackadaisical approach in the ongoing prevention work will not be tolerated,” the GoM said, instructing to issue show-cause notices to the employees with poor performance, saying that all the holidays of the employees should be cancelled to ensure timely treatment of the animals. They also asked to use the generic medicines as per requirement.

While reviewing the ongoing operations to prevent African Swine Fever, the ministers said that the guidelines of the “Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009” should be implemented in letter and spirit and the movement of pigs should be strictly banned.

Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department, Vikas Pratap said that till date, the Animal Husbandry Department has received 6.86 lakh doses of goat pox vaccine. Over 3.31 lakh cattle have been vaccinated, while more than 3.54 lakh doses of goat pox vaccine are available with the department.

He said that 1,08,958 animals are suspected to have been affected by the lumpy skin disease out of which 64,475 animals are cured. He emphasised that the vaccine is being administered free of cost.