Flood havoc: Over 500 cattle die in Majuli

District administration sends team

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

JORHAT, Aug 3: About 500 cattle died in a sandbar in Majuli on Tuesday. Veteriry officials said the cattle died due to consumption of some poisonous shrub following shortage of foods during floods in the island.

The incident took place at Tikirai Chapori, a sandbar in central Majuli, about 8 km from Garmur, the heart of the island. About 3,000 cattle were reared by more than 150 people in the sandbar. Majuli Sub Divisiol Veteriry Officer (In Charge) Thaneswar Mudoi said, “The cattle have been suffering from a jaundice-like disease due to food poisoning. They consumed a shrub med Lanta camara growing in the highland areas in the sandbar when they took shelter there during floods.”

Lanta camara is a small perennial shrub which can grow to around 2 m and form dense thickets in a variety of environments.

As per the cattle census in 2012 there were 1,73,336 cattle in Majuli island, including several sandbars situated in the Brahmaputra River.

The government had suspended the Majuli SDVO Dhruba Prasad Hazarika due to negligence of duty during the recent floods in Majuli.

Meanwhile, a team led by Jorhat  Assistant Commissioner Meghnidhi Dahal, Project Director of Disaster Magement, Prankrish Gogoi along with two doctors, two pharmacists, two laboratory technicians, three nurses, two veteriry doctors and two veteriry workers rushed to Majuli in order to take required steps for the flood-affected animals.

In a statement from Jorhat district administration it was stated that the team had brought 200 quintals animal food for Ahatguri area in the island on Wednesday. The team will also provide medical treatment to flood-affected animals till Thursday.