Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Apr 17: Deputy commissioner (DC) of the district, Dr M T Reju, visited Henberu village and nearby places within Paduvari gram panchayat limits near here on Monday April 16, and got personal account of the devastation let loose by the en masse death of cows here since the last some days.

With the death of two more cows on Monday, the toll of cattle deaths in the region has risen to 77.

Reju, who collected details of the phenomenon from the locals and officials, told the media persons that he has collected detailed reports from various departments, and that the viscera samples collected from the cattle carcasses are also being examined by scientists. He hoped that a final report on the findings would be received in a couple of days. He said that the revenue department and the Chief Minister have been kept abreast of the issue. “The health department is taking preventive steps. We will also be calling for reports on the deaths of some cattle reported from nearby Melpankti and Yadtare villages too,” he clarified.

MLA, Lakshminarayana, who was present on the occasion, said that the villagers get emotionally attached to cattle, which also function as sources of additional income for them. “I know how much distress and grief is caused by the death of even a single cow. There is a need for rushing in help and sympathy to the distressed families. The deputy commissioner should take immediate steps to assuage their hardships,” he felt.

As many as 19 cows belonging to Ammu Devadigas have breathed their last, while Subbu Deviadiga and Nagamma have lost  8 and 15 cattle respectively in the unprecedented spate of cattle deaths witnessed by the villages of late. Many villagers narrated their tale of woes with tears in their eyes. Some locals demanded for cows in place of deceased cows, to enable them to carry on with their allied activity.

Zilla panchayat president, Katapadi Shankar Poojary, standing committee chairperson, Babu Shetty Taggarse, zilla panchayat chief executive officer, S A Pabhakar Sharma, divisional forest officer, Ganesh Rai, range forest officer, Brijesh, tahsildar, Raju Mogaveera, and various other officials accompanied the DC during his visit.