DEHRADUN: A mysterious illness has struck Dhara village in the Mori block of Uttarkashi district, killing over 91 sheep and goats within a week. The outbreak has left local livestock farmers deeply anxious, as several animals continue to suffer from the unidentified disease, sparking fears of more losses.
Amid the escalating crisis, the Animal Husbandry Department has deployed three more veterinary teams to the affected areas to curb the spread and provide urgent care. However, villagers say there has been little improvement, despite these intensified efforts.
Gram Pradhan Randev Singh Panwar expressed his frustration, stating, "Animal Husbandry Department teams have been stationed in the village since Saturday, providing treatment, but so far, no relief has been observed." Panwar highlighted the grim reality, noting, "Two to four livestock are dying every day, and so far, 91 have perished." He identified several farmers who have suffered significant losses, including Kripal Singh, Kirti Singh, Negi Singh, Murti Singh, Jabar Singh, Pratap Singh, Thakur Singh, and Bardaan Singh.
In a direct appeal for higher-level intervention, Gram Pradhan Panwar confirmed, "On Thursday, I sent a letter to the District Magistrate and Chief Veterinary Officer via Sub Divisional Magistrate Mukesh Ramola, demanding the dispatch of a high-level medical team and a special team to assess the damages."
Speaking to TNIE, Chief Veterinary Officer Hari Singh Bisht stated, "The total number of deceased sheep and goats reported by sheep farmers to us is 20." Dr. Bisht attributed the mortalities primarily to "pneumonia and diarrhea, along with lung infection and dehydration," suggesting that "adverse weather could also be a contributing factor."
Chief Veterinary Officer Bisht informed the TNIE, "Based on the reports of dead sheep and goats received so far, we have conducted postmortems on only 20 sheep and goats."He confirmed that two teams were already operational, with an additional team deployed to control the disease.
Meanwhile, Veterinary Officer Dr. Rajneesh Swami affirmed that medical teams have been camped in the village since Saturday, continuously working to identify the causes of the illness and provide treatment. He added, "So far, more than 250 sheep and goats have been vaccinated and treated." The community remains on edge as the battle against the unknown disease continues.