CHITRAL: The local farmers have demanded of the government to fill the vacant posts of veterinary doctors and supporting staff in the district.

Sajjad Ahmed Khan, the village nazim of Jughoor, said that keeping cattle was the key source of sustenance for the people of Chitral but livestock department was one of the most neglected departments of the government in the district.

He said that half of the 21 veterinary dispensaries were without veterinary assistants and farmers faced problems when their cattle contracted diseases. “The situation aggravates in case of outbreak of diseases which happens quite frequently,” he added.

Mr Khan said hat in the absence of periodical spray against different diseases, the outbreak of diseases took place as a result of which hundreds of animals perished in many villages every year where the disease of foot-and-mouth was common. The nazim said that although hospitals had been established in major villages of Koghuzi, Booni, Ayun, Mastuj and Garam Chashma, yet no doctor was posted anywhere except Drosh.

Mr Khan said that if doctors were posted in the hospitals, they would also reinforce the veterinary dispensaries in the periphery by supervising their functions.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2019