Syed Imtiyaz
Kupwara, July 19 (KNS): Kupwara district heavily reliant on agriculture and livestock, is facing a severe staff shortage in its Animal Husbandry department. The district, with a cattle population of 150,000, has seen a troubling decline in veterinary services due to recent staff transfers.
As per the local residents, In recent months, around 15 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons (VAS) were transferred from Kupwara, leaving many posts vacant. Block Kupwara, which is supposed to have 4 VAS positions, now has only 1. Similarly, Sub-District Handwara, which should have 8 VAS, is currently served by just 2. The situation is even worse in the border subdivision of Karnah, where the 2 VAS who were stationed there have been transferred, leaving the area without any VAS.
This shortage is having a bad impact on local dairy farmers. With fewer veterinarians available, farmers are struggling to get necessary medical attention for their cattle, particularly for surgeries and complex cases.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelThe shortage is also affecting several government schemes such as the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP), Integrated Dairy Development Scheme (IDDS), and Integrated Poultry Development Program (IPDP). These schemes, designed to support and improve livestock farming, are being hampered by the lack of available veterinary staff.
It is perplexing why staff were moved to districts with lower livestock populations, while Kupwara, with its large cattle base, faces such a severe shortage. Local residents and farmers are calling for immediate intervention from the Lieutenant Governor to address this issue and ensure that sufficient staff are deployed to support Kupwara’s vital agricultural and dairy sectors. (KNS)