Govt told to compensate farmers for cattle death due to lumpy skin disease

KATHMANDU: The Agriculture, Cooperatives, and Natural Resources Committee of the House of Representatives has directed the government to provide relief for farmers in the wake of losses incurred due to the death of cattle because of the lumpy skin disease.

A meeting of the committee held on Thursday directed the government to promptly allocate necessary funds for compensation, and prepare procedures and standards for distribution of compensation. The committee also underscored the need to take the needful initiative for producing vaccines in the country for sustainable solutions to the lumpy skin disease.

Additionally, the committee has directed the government to establish a dedicated coordinating body to effectively manage and synchronize efforts across all three tiers of government during the situation of crises like the outbreak of lumpy skin disease.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Dr Bedu Ram Bhusal, said that a staggering 1,305,361 animals had been afflicted by lumpy skin disease. “Among them, 1,082,159 animals recovered following treatment, while 47,649 succumbed to the disease,” he added.

Minister Bhusal underscored the effectiveness of awareness campaigns and treatment initiatives in curbing the infection’s spread and that the prevalence of the disease was gradually declining.

He also informed the House panel that 1,369,000 doses of vaccine have been procured from various countries, with 686,450 animals having already received vaccinations.

“While the government cannot provide complete compensation for the farmers’ losses, efforts were underway to extend some form of relief,” he added.