Govt to compensate cattle farmers for LSD losses
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Sept 19: The state government has assured to pay compensation to cattle farmers after over 9,000 cattle have been affected by the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in the State.
Replying in the Assembly today, Minister in-charge Animal Husbandry & Veterinary AL Hek said no compensation has been provided to cattle farmers in the wake of LSD.
However, when opposition VPP legislator from Nongkrem Ardent M Basaiawmoit sought to know if the government is contemplating providing compensation to cattle farmers, who were compelled to close down their farms due to LSD, Hek said, “Government is going to pay compensation (to cattle farmers).”
He said that over 9,000 cattle were affected by LSD in the State.
Hek also informed that four veterinary hospitals and 125 dispensaries are providing medicines and vaccination to cattle against the disease.
On the other hand, the minister informed that Rs 16,20,000 compensation was provided to farmers during 2020-21 for the deaths of 540 pigs due to African Swine Fever disease.
When Basaiawmoit alleged the swine fever disease happened ever since the government started distributing piglets, which are from outside the state, Hek said, “We are not a self-sufficient State that is why we have to depend from outside the State.”
HC asks Jowai Municipal Board how it is disposing garbage
The Meghalaya High Court today directed the Jowai Municipal Board to file an affidavit to indicate how the garbage is being disposed of at the moment in Jowai town.
Hearing a PIL filed by the Synjuk Ki Waheh Shnong Jowai, the division bench said that despite the Jowai Municipality’s assertion that a better schedule for garbage collection is now in place, the petitioner complained that collection takes place only several times a month, rather than several times a week.
Despite previous observations, both the Jowai Municipality and the State appear to be rather indifferent to the plight of the residents in Jowai, it said.
The Court said since the Municipality claims that a better schedule is in operation and seriously disputes the submission made on behalf of the petitioner, the relevant schedule should be disclosed by way of an affidavit when the matter appears a week hence.
“The schedule should indicate the localities where trucks are assigned, the registration numbers of the trucks and the duration that the trucks remain for collection of garbage at various localities. A map of Jowai should accompany the affidavit to indicate that the entirety of the town is covered by the garbage collection drive. The Municipality should also indicate how the garbage is being disposed of at the moment, even while the compost plant is being made ready,” it said in the order.
The next hearing will be held on April 27.