Mobile animal healthcare units in Bengal soon

Servicing remote corners of West Bengal, mobile animal health care units will be pressed into service after the Durga Puja early October, an official said Wednesday.

The state animal resources and animal health department has decided to reach out to poultry and animal farm owners as well as residents with pets, through mobile veterinary units, in various districts.

"The service will be flagged off after the puja in West Midnapore. Initially it will be rolled out in 11 blocks of the district," Surjakanta Atta, a member of the animal welfare department, West Midnapore (Paschim Meidinipur) zilla parishad, told IANS Wednesday.

"There are some animal care initiatives at the grassroots but these mobile units will help in going to people on a door-to-door basis here transportation is a problem," he said.

Resembling ambulances, these units will ferry veterinary doctors, technical assistants and testing equipment. Atta said the mobile clinics will operate on all days.

"Drugs and vaccines will be administered on the spot after inspection and diagnosis by the vets. The service will be free and will benefit the poultry farm owners and people who have cattle."

"Animal farms like a goat farm is coming up and so as these new ventures flourish, requirement for more vet services will rise," Atta said.

The district forms a part of the Junglemahal - the large forested stretches known as the Maoist heartland. Bankura and Purulia districts are also included in the Junglemahal.

Atta said the new initiative will be launched across the Junglemahal and extended to Sundarbans and north Bengal.