SHAHANSHAH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has made a fervent pitch for a 'clean India', Saturday watched live a surgery being performed on a calf for removing polythene at a cattle health fair he inaugurated.
Modi opened Uttar Pradesh's first Pashudhan Arogya Mela and said proper healthcare of cattle through such initiatives would help increase milk production in India.
Dr B B Singh, chief veterinary officer of Varanasi and the in-charge of the mela, said nearly 1,000 animals were brought to the venue by their owners for treatment.
He said several animals were given medical care at the fair during the day and the prime minister appreciated the efforts of the vets involved. The Prime Minister also watched surgery being performed on a calf, Singh said.
"He watched rumenotomy that we performed to remove an estimated 50 kg of polythene and also visited the operation theatre," he said.
At the mela, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said 'arogyashalas' will be set up in every district of the state.
The concept of Pashudhan Arogya Mela is new to the state but is working in Gujarat since 2002 when Modi was the chief minister there, Singh said.
"Animal husbandry is a very strong sector in Gujarat after industries. Prime Minister wants that best medical methods are adopted so as to get best results for improving milk production," he said.
Sonography, artificial insemination, blood-testing, deworming were other medical procedures demonstrated at the mela, Singh said.