By Manoj Kumar Ojha

Guwahati: The Bhartiya Janata party(BJP) ruled government of Assam seems not cautious about “Gomata” living in the state.

A large number of cows have been affected by lumpy skin disease in different areas of Karimganj district’s Patharkandi assembly constituency over the past two weeks.

Not only this, Assam is persistently facing high temperatures during the last week and considering the continuous rise of mercury level . The cows are starving due to heat weather conditions across Assam.

Sources in the veterinary department said that the vector-borne disease has affected cattle in many areas, including tea gardens and in Patharkandi constituency in the last two weeks. Deaths of several cows have also been reported from different places, the sources said.

Farmers, whose cows have been infected by the disease, said cows, after being infected by lumpy skin disease, develop swollenness in their bodies and nodules start appearing on their skin.

The animals do not eat properly and remain mostly in an unenergetic state. The viral disease has killed many cows in Patharkandi constituency over the past two weeks, the farmers claimed.

They said the emergence of the fatal disease has triggered panic among farmers of the district as many farmers earn their livelihood only through their cattle.

The disease is spreading rapidly and the authorities concerned must take prompt measures for a solution, they said. They appealed to the Karimganj district administration to conduct free medical camps for cattle in Patharkandi so that farmers can take their cows to the camp and get them diagnosed & treated.

They claimed that nearly 1000 cows have been infected and 40-50 cows killed by the disease in Patharkandi constituency in the past 15 days.

Appropriate measures expected from the BJP led Assam government.

On being contacted, a field officer with the Lowairpua veterinary department Taj Uddin told OurIndia on Monday that he has received numerous reports of cows of different areas of Patharkandi constituency being affected by the disease. The disease is communicable and as such farmers need to take care of their cows properly so that the animals do not get infected.

“Farmers should strictly avoid letting their cows graze with or come near other cows. The veterinary department is monitoring the situation closely. If anyone (farmer) needs any help in this regard, the person can contact the veterinary department,” he said.

According to state veterinary officials, lumpy skin disease resurfaced in Assam in April this year and the disease has affected nearly 40,000 cows in at least seven districts till now.

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