Lumpy skin disease: 61 cattle dead in border districts of J-K; officials say it is spreading from Pakistan

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, August 16

At least 61 deaths of cattle have been reported from different border districts of Jammu division during the past some days due to Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) that is spreading in districts bordering Pakistan.

Most of the cases of the disease have come from Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Rajouri district that border Pakistan. Director, Animal Husbandry, Jammu, Krishan Lal said 61 animals have so far died due to LSD in border areas of Jammu division.

“As the disease is taking a toll in Pakistan and it is a vector-borne disease, we have all reasons to believe that it is coming into border areas of Jammu division from the neighbouring country. It is being reported more from the four border districts of Jammu division,” said Krishan Lal.

He added that nearly 6,000 animals have been affected due to the disease so far in Jammu division. “As there is no medicine for the disease as of now, we are taking all precautions so that it does not spread to other areas. We are also spreading awareness among the farmers on how to deal with LSD and prevent it from spreading,” said the Director.

Control rooms have also been established in all districts of Jammu and response teams have been formed by the department to deal with the spread of the disease.

Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo recently chaired a meeting to review preparedness to combat the ingress of LSD.

The ACS directed that regular advisory, with well-defined ‘dos and don’ts’ be published for public information. Rapid Response Teams, doctors and paramedics must stay in touch with the farmers around the clock, he directed.