Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday demanded the Central government should declare lumpy skin disease (LSD) among cattle as a national calamity, while stating that his government has taken all preventive and medical steps to contain the viral disease afflicting bovine.
A letter urging the Union Government to declare the LSD a national calamity has been written, said Gehlot while interacting with cattle rearers, gaushala operators, officers and common people of the state through video conferencing at his residence here.
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The period of grant for gaushalas has been increased from six months to nine months by the government and continuous work was being done for the promotion of cows by creating a department of Gopalan, Gehlot said.
Union Minister Purushottam Rupala has assured that full help will be given to the state. He said that the cooperation of animal owners was necessary for setting up Nandishalas in the state.
Rajasthan Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Lalchand Kataria said that so far eight lakh cows have been infected in the state, out of which 7.40 lakh have been treated and about 4.30 lakh animals have been vaccinated.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the flood situation in Hadoti region and asked the district authorities to assess the damage due to flood and crop assessment through ‘girdawari.’
Disaster Management Minister Govind Ram Meghwal said that the state has received about 35 per cent more rainfall than the average this season. Rana Pratap Sagar dam, Mahi dam and Bisalpur dam are flooded. The Disaster Department has given Rs 22 crore to tackle flood like situations in Kota, Jhalawar, Bundi, Karauli, Dholpur and Baran, Meghwal said.
The minister informed that over 43000 flood affected people were shifted to 163 relief camps, and 15000 people were rescued by different teams of SDRF, NDRF and local administration.