September 17, 2008	Wednesday	Ramazan 16, 1429

SKARDU, Sept 16: A mysterious fatal disease has killed dozens of animals in Tisar village of the Shigar valley but the livestock department has not yet taken any action in this regard, leaving other animals also to the risk.

According to reports reaching here from the affected area, the mostly hit are zhos (a cross breed of yak and cow), zhongos and yaks. The victim animals get sick and become lethargic and dull, and stop eating leading to death in few days.

According to eyewitnesses, examination of the slaughtered affected animals shows that their liver, lung and heart are severely swollen.

It has been learnt that so far dozens of animals have killed by this disease and more animals are getting affected.

The villagers say that if the government dos not take any step to control the disease, they will suffer losses and it will spread in other areas. They complained that they brought the matter to the notice of the livestock department Skardu but to no avail.

To make matters worse, the livestock dispensary in the area has no medicine for treating this disease.

Residents of the Tisar village have demanded the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to cope with the fatal disease. They also demanded the government for compensation to the affected people.