Rs 46 lakhs earmarked for vaccine
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 28 2013: Under Assistance to State for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD), a total of Rs 45.97 lakhs was earmarked in the annual plan of the last financial year for purchase of swine fever vaccines.

According to a source, the cost of swine fever vaccine per dose was Rs 25 as written in the ASCAD annual action plan of 2012-13 under Immunization Against Other Economically Important Diseases.

Calculated at this rate, financial requirement for the physical target of two lakh pigs was Rs 45.97 lakhs out of which Central share was Rs 34.51 lakhs and State share was Rs 11.49 lakhs.

In addition to this amount set aside for purchasing swine fever vaccine, another substantial amount was also earmarked in the workshops and seminars for pig farmers, and also for organising animal health camps at block and district levels, purchasing needles, syringes, gloves, cotton, sterilization, cotton, diagnostic and transport and supportive medicines.

Moreover, due advertisements should be published in mass for selection of suppliers of these items through sealed tender.

On the other hand, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Director S Joute has already announced that 50,000 doses of swine fever vaccine have been procured from the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biology, Madhya Pradesh for mass vaccination of pigs starting from April 29 .

Yet, an RTI application filed through the State Public Information Officer against the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Director on March 20 this year remains unanswered.

As such, a complaint has been lodged with the Commissioner, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry.

The RTI application was filed by one H Henry asking if it was true that pig farmers suffered loss because Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department allowed procurement of unrecognised swine fever vaccine.

Questioning who would be held responsible for the loss suffered by pig farmers, the RTI application further asked if it was true that the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry wrote letters to the Government of Manipur with an instruction to use Lapanised swine fever vaccine in the entire North East region.

As no reply was given to all these questions, an appeal letter was submitted to the Commissioner, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry on April 22, conveyed the source.

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