The spread of a mysterious disease took many lives of water buffaloes particularly in the district of Ukhrul and Senapati.
TFM Desk
The High Court of Manipur has issued a notice to the Manipur government regarding the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed to save the water buffaloes in Ukhrul and Senapati districts.
The spread of a mysterious disease took many lives of water buffaloes particularly in the district of Ukhrul and Senapati. These buffaloes are a source of income and livelihood for far flung villages like Phaibung Khullen of Senapati, New Tusom and Wahong of Ukhrul.
In the month of October the villagers approached the concerned authority for medical facilities, to save the lives of water buffaloes and to compensate the livestock owners. A team from the veterinary department came to the spot and took samples of the buffaloes yet they never came back with a report for the cause of the death.
On various occasions the villagers approached the concerned authority for help and assistance as they had no means of resource to tackle such a pandemic situation.
An advocate belonging to one of the affected village, New Tusom and on seeing the dire situation of his villagers, decided to file a PIL for New Tusom and Wahong Villages before the High Court of Manipur through his counsel Carolin Kasar titled PIL No. 60 of 2021, Tamhor AS vs State of Manipur and 3 Ors. dated October 25, 2021 praying to urgently set up a veterinary medical camp and to follow the procedure laid down in “The Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animal Act 2009”.
The high court issued notice to the respondent to file what steps have been taken by them to curb the spread of the mysterious disease. While pending of this case the petitioner came to know that the mysterious disease is none-other but a scheduled cattle disease named Haemorrhagic Septicaemia listed in the above mentioned Act of 2009.
Later on December 13, 2021 another PIL was filed titled PIL No. 72 of 2021 Sahvei San L vs. State of Manipur & 3 Ors. for Phaibung Village of Senapati seeking the same prayers as mentioned above.
The high court has issued notice in the case and has connected both the matters to be heard on January 24, 2022. The phaibung villagers were not aware of the report for the death of water buffaloes until they came across the Ukhrul Documents wherein Phaibung Village was also mentioned as positive for the said disease.
The counsel Carolin Kasar stated that such economic loss and rapid spread of highly contagious fatal disease can be largely prevented by judicious implementation of vaccination programmes or by taking appropriate and timely measures on scientific lines.
She further stated that all the necessary steps and measures to be taken up are provided in the above-mentioned Act, such as declaring the infected area as controlled area through various notification and publications, segregate the infected animals in quarantine camp, by setting up check-post to prohibit movement so as to examine and strictly monitored both the infected and non- infected animals.