Call 1962 toll-free Emergency Response Centre

Mysore/Mysuru: Over nine Vet ambulances or Pashu Sanjeevini have reached Mysuru and will begin their service in the district soon. The focus will be on the bovine welfare in rural and semi-urban areas. The ambulances will also serve urban areas.

The State Government recently flagged off 70 veterinary mobile ambulances to provide emergency services to domestic animals at the doorsteps of farmers. Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai launched the facility in Bengaluru recently.

Accordingly, Mysuru has got nine such Vet ambulances. Minister for Animal Husbandry Prabhu Chavan said 275 animal ambulances would be rolled out  under a Central Government scheme and in the first phase, 70 ambulances have been delivered. The State has 290 lakh domestic animals including pets  and on average one ambulance would provide services to one lakh animals.

The mobile veterinary services project would provide timely treatment on receipt of toll-free calls at 1962 at the doorstep of the livestock owner and help in maintaining the health of animals, increasing the productivity of animals.

When a distress call from the livestock owner is received at any time of the day at the 1962 Emergency Response Centre, basic details are collected and information is disseminated to the nearest ambulance. The ambulance along with the veterinary doctor and assistant will reach the doorstep of the livestock owner, assess the condition of the sick cattle and provide on-site treatment. In all, 12 kinds of medical facilities are available in the ambulances.

Running each of these vehicles will cost Rs. 16 lakh per annum and it will be managed under public-private partnership. Of the Rs. 50 crore needed to maintain the system, 40 percent will be provided by the State.

Each vehicle will have a veterinary doctor, an assistant and a driver, who will go to the doorsteps of farmers. The ambulance consists of a surgery unit, laboratory, scanning devices, a 250-litre capacity water tank, operation table weighing 200 kg, air conditioning facility, seating capacity for the veterinarian and staff, wash basin and a cupboard to keep the medical kit. The ambulances for animals are provided on the lines of vehicles for humans under the Health and Family Welfare Department. These ambulances will be of great help in the event of referral cases which cannot be attended by local veterinarians.

If it is an accident case or an emergency or an operation and beyond the capacity of a local vet, the ambulance is provided with expert veterinary care and necessary equipment. On receiving call seeking medical attention for their animals, an expert Vet, staff and equipment available in the ambulance, will rush to the spot to treat the animal.

10-acre Goshala at Ayarahalli

Under the Goshala scheme initiated by the State Government, each district will get a Goshala and for Mysuru, one is being set up at Ayarahalli village near Devalapura. 10-acre land has been identified and the Goshala is coming up with a budget of Rs. 1.85 crore and the works are expected to be completed soon. The State Government has released Rs. 53 lakh for the project and funds will be released in phases. There will be separate sections for stray cows, bovines that have sustained injuries in accidents, cattle seized by the Police and also that are being illegally transported. They will be provided fodder, water and medical care. —Dr. B.N. Shadaksharamurthy, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Dept.