Kochi: As the recent flood had caused major damage to thousands of farmers in the livestock sector in the district, the Animal Husbandry Department of Kerala has collected the data on this regard and submitted it to the government to take steps to deliver compensation and relief package for the farmers.
“We have collected a preliminary data, collated them including the number of deaths and submitted it to the finance ministry. This will be discussed in cabinet meeting soon. The government is expected to take the necessary steps soon including providing financial help for them,” said Dr. N. N. Sasi, Director of the Department of Animal Husbandry.
“As far as I know the matter will be discussed in the Assembly too. Our department in association with the Suchitwa Mission, LSG department, Kudum-basree, health department and district administrations is coordinating the activities including the disposition of carcasses lying in various parts. We have difficulties to find those carcasses as it is spread in various places, so we are requesting eve-rybody to take initiative on this regard,” he told DC.
Meanwhile district animal husbandry officer K.N. Dileep said that the number of carcasses fou-nd in the district is rising day by day. “Though we buried almost all the bodies we have been able to find, it’s coming again through the water. We are getting calls from many places including Kottuvally and Cheranalloor most recently. There are carcasses yet to dispose, so the number will increase,” he said.
However, the farmers are in complete distress as the flood has damaged all their belongings for survival. “Our animals who survived the flood are now starving. There is no enough fodder for them near our locality as it was destroyed after the flood. We are now going to far away places for collecting fodders for them,” says Sanal P, a small-scale dairy farmer and resident of Aluva.
