KOHAT: Dozens of cattle have either died or fallen sick due to substandard drugs used in the annual vaccination of animals carried out in various villages of the district, farmers complained to Dawn on Friday.

The people, whose main source of livelihood is growing cattle and producing milk, alleged that the veterinary doctors had also fake degrees who were using substandard medicines to treat cattle.

They said that these fake vets had opened clinics in Sherkot, Marai Bala, Parshai, Khushalgarh, Alizai and Dal, Bilitang, Kharmato and Shakardarra areas for the purpose.

The residents said that they had no choice but to bring their animals to these doctors for the annual vaccination.

The elders also alleged that veterinary doctors charged them heavily. They complained that they had brought the matter to the notice of the high ups, but to no avail.

They appealed to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister for livestock Israr Gandapur and Kohat deputy commissioner Amjid Ali Khan to take notice of the situation and send qualified doctors to the villages once a week for vaccination of cattle.

They warned that if the problem was not solved they would stage protest in Kohat city.

IT, FAMILY PARKS APPROVED: The district development committee chairman Ziaullah Bangash has said that the government has approved establishment of an IT Park and Family Park in district and that work on the projects would start soon.

Talking to reporters after a visit to the renovated hall of the library in Company Park in Kohat city, he also announced to turn the hall into a well furnished and well equipped auditorium.

He said that the second hall of the library would be used for setting up the IT Park. He maintained that initially Rs6 million would be needed for the purpose.

Mr Bangash said that an agreement had been reached with the management OGDCL to construct the family park in the Company Park.

The lawmaker also paid a visit to the under-construction recycling plan and took notice of the use of substandard material in the project. He also found the consultant missing on the site.

The lawmaker ordered that an engineer of tehsil municipal administration should also monitor the construction work to ensure its quality construction.

He informed that the plant spread over an area of 56 kanals would cost Rs70 million.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2014